The state of high alert, imposed by the government in response to the “significant increase in the risk of fires in rural areas”, begins at 00:00 Friday and will last until July 15, as announced this Thursday.
“Given the weather forecasts for the next few days, which indicate a significant deterioration in the risk of fires in rural areas, the Ministers of National Defense, the Interior, Health, Environment and Climate Change, and Agriculture and Food decided today to announce a the situation on duty throughout the continent, ”the Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a statement.
High alert, the lowest level of emergency response provided for in the Basic Civil Protection Law, ends at 11:59 p.m. on July 15, according to the Interior Ministry.
MAI says the announcement follows the upgrade of the Integrated Protection and Assistance System (SIOPS) to the Dedicated Rural Fire Control (DECIR) facility in all areas of the mainland.
The ministry, controlled by José Luis Carneiro, explains that the statement stems from “the need to take preventive and special measures to respond to the high, very high and maximum fire risk envisaged by IPMA. [Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera] in all mainland districts in the coming days.”
As part of the high alert announcement, the Governor announces that a number of “exceptional measures” will be implemented, namely the prohibition of access, movement and stay within the forest areas, as well as on forest paths, rural paths and other paths through them.
Other measures include a ban on incineration and burning, working in forested areas using any kind of machinery except for those involved in fighting fires in rural areas, and working in other rural areas using machines.
In the coming days, the use of fireworks and other pyrotechnics will continue to be completely prohibited, and issued permits will be suspended, according to the government.
The government indicates that the high alert situation involves an increase in the level of preparedness and rapid response from the GNR and PSP with increased means of surveillance, inspection, patrols to contain behavior and general support for the protection and assistance that can be called, given that interruption is allowed for this purpose holidays and suspension of days off and rest periods.
With the declaration of an emergency, “the level of readiness and mobilization of the ambulance, public health and psychosocial support teams will also be increased by the competent authorities in the field of health and social welfare”, and the demining teams will also be increased. leshozes are constantly mobilized, as well as the republican body of foresters and environmentalists who are part of the firefighting and firefighting apparatus, the Institute for Nature Protection and Forests.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs also emphasizes that in the coming days the level of readiness of the response teams of entities with special responsibilities for cooperation in the field of communications (fixed and mobile communications operators) and energy (transport and distribution) will be increased and the SNR will carry out patrols and air inspection in areas that are in special the state of combat readiness of the SIOPS, focusing on the marked places with a very high and maximum fire hazard.
According to the government, volunteer firefighters working in the public or private sector are exempt from duty or absent from work.
The government also indicates that the Armed Forces are providing air resources in order to operate, if necessary, in locations to be determined by the National Emergency Management and Civil Protection Administration (ANEPC).
The National Office for Emergency Situations and Civil Protection from Friday will declare the six districts of mainland Portugal the second highest level of danger due to the high risk of forest fires.
According to the ANEPC, Viseu, Vila Real, Bragança, Guarda, Castelo Branco and Santarém are the six districts with an orange alert level, while the other 12 will be with a yellow alert level, the third highest.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
