Portugal

President of Monchique municipal council: ECO123: How can we create a Portugal without forest fires? Rui André: In Monchique, there have been a number of fires, but the strategy of a very powerful initial attack has enabled almost all of them to be put out right at the start. Given the vulnerability of the region, we see these results as being very positive, but we have also been quite lucky. In other places, and with the same strategy, unfortunately this year there have been fires like the ones here in 2003. There’s a lot of work ahead of us. There are …

Confectionery is part of Portuguese culture and sees one of its high points during the Christmas period. This Christmas, ECO123 invited the people who run two of the best confectionery businesses in the Algarve to share some sugary recipes with you with the typical flavour of the Algarve. Located in the centre of Portimão, the Casa da Isabel is a return to the past of our dreams: that time when, in an old but welcoming house, there is always a magnificent sweet treat awaiting us, a cup of tea to warm us up, a traditional product from an Algarve that …

Lieutnant-Colonel; Chief of the Nature and  Environment Protection Service ECO123: In your opinion, what it the solution for the forest fires in Portugal? GNR: Allow me to begin my response by stating that fires are not fought, fires are avoided. This leads us to the prevention phase. Immediate prevention, let’s call it, which implies raising the awareness of people who live in the rural areas so as to draw attention to behaviours which should be avoided and to prevention campaigns which must be implemented periodically before the summer period. For short- to medium-term results, campaigns and awareness-raising among the young …

ECO123: What is needed in order not to have forest fires in Portugal in 2014? Fernando Castelo, former chief of the voluntary fire-fighters of Portimão, in the senior officers reserve, responded: More inspection activity is needed, for example in the case of burning and clearing the land, and penalising those people who do not comply with the law. T his is the work of the security forces, especially the GNR, but there should be a role involving more intervention by the fire brigades, through a change in the law. There should also be information and training campaigns carried out among …

Commandant  of the Special Firefighting Force – National Civil Defence Authority ECO123: What is needed for there to be no forest fires in Portugal? That’s impossible, whatever we do from 2013 to 2014, it’s impossible. In any case, we must firstly try to minimise forest fires, mainly the number, because our country has a very large number when compared with the rest of Europe. By reducing the number of fires, we will be more effective in firefighting as there will be more resources available, and we will certainly be able to respond in a more appropriate and balanced manner. To …

The Operations Commander of the Algarve District Group of the ANPC (National Civil Defence Authority) Vítor Vaz Pinto, explained to ECO123 what measures had been taken to avoid fires in the Algarve in 2014: There is a concerted effort for fire prevention, the responsibility of three bodies: the Nature Conservation Institute, for the structural and awareness-raising part; the National Republican Guard (GNR), for prevention activities, namely vigilance, detection and inspection; and the National Civil Defence Authority for the coordination of the firefighting work, reflash watch and vigilance after the fire. Based on civil defence operations recorded in 2012, the District …

Doctor Cristina Soeiro – Coordinating Psychologist of the Psychology and Selection Office of the Higher Institute of the Criminal Police and Sciences The reduction in the problem of fires in a forestry context in Portugal involves multi-disciplinary and integrated intervention involving, in the short term: Penalising risk behaviours demonstrated by the general population; A plan for forestry management – which involves analysing the species of trees that should be planted bearing in mind the different types of land and climate that exist in the country; Clearing the forested areas adequately and at the right time; Working more closely with offenders …

Captain Almeida Reis – Head of pilots and jointly in charge of the air activities of INAER (1) ECO123: What is needed for there to be no fires in Portugal? As far as firefighting is concerned, it is completely in our interests that the fires are reduced as much as possible, the industry has no interest in fires per se. It is a dangerous situation, the danger increases and other factors come in that are not favourable. In personal terms, I think that the question about not having fires will always be linked to issues of prevention or behaviour, not …

Wine “Monte do Além” in Odiáxere (municipality of Lagos) is little known in the Algarve. However, wine-lovers in Belgium, France and Bulgaria know the name well that adorns the bottles of the precious nectar. The smallholding has about six hectares of organic vines, certificated by ECOCERT, planted between 2000 and 2003, where the grape varieties cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, syrah and aragonês flourish. As it is impossible for a small producer of between 25,000 and 30,000 bottles to make its mark with quantity, they capture markets through their excellent value for money. In 2012, the winery received the diploma …

José Eduardo, aged 55; mechanic, hunter and farmer ECO123: What can we do to avoid forest fires in Portugal? First and foremost is prevention, clearing the forests. I am not in disagreement with what is spent, including the military. That is all very useful but I think that a lot of money is spent on these things. The same amount of money should ensure that a lot of prevention work is done, clearing, and firebreaks, cutting wide strips of twenty or thirty metres of scrubland in small areas and, even if not in all of them, in properties. It would …