The government is in talks with the organizers of major events so that there can be “resettlement or transformation” so that they do not develop in forested areas and that they comply with the law, the prime minister said on Monday.
Speaking to reporters in Viseu, António Costa reminded that “there is a general ban on any activity carried out in forested areas” due to the risk of fire, and “it is necessary to adapt events to this new reality.”
Asked about events such as the summer festivals or the biker rally in Faro, the chief executive said that “the Minister of the Interior is in contact with the organizers of these events to ensure that some of these events that take place in the forest area” are changed to another location. .
“Obviously, in such weather conditions, no exceptions can be made,” he stressed.
The official stated that this procedure also applies to smaller events such as pilgrimages and village parties, and gave an example: “I live in the Benfica district, there is a large forest. The Lisbon municipality, well, decided to close the forest Last Thursday the medieval fair opened, on Friday it was closed.”
According to António Costa, these are unforeseen circumstances that everyone is subject to, since it is not possible to risk them “due to this activity and the greater movement of people, which increases the likelihood of any negligence.”
“There is a man who passes, smokes, puts out a cigarette butt, the cigarette is badly extinguished, we have an accident. The car turns on, there is a spark, there is an accident. We have a situation of large-scale fire there,” he warned.
The prime minister acknowledged that “for many, and especially for industries that have not worked during these two years of the pandemic,” these are tough measures.
“But these measures are absolutely necessary, they are necessary to protect their own security, the security of everyone who visits these places and the territory itself,” he said.
Today, António Costa traveled to Coimbra, Luz and Viseu to check the firefighting work on the ground and show all the resources and means involved.
In Viseu, he visited the Expanded Strike Company (CATE) of the Emergency Protection Unit (UEPS) of the National Republican Guard (GNR).
Wrapping up the day, the prime minister told reporters that he had been “very tense” and that he felt in everyone he spoke to “a great awareness of the huge problem” they would face in the coming days.
“This device has a total of 13,000 people on standby to be able to act if necessary,” he emphasized, stressing that “all entities are very well connected to each other and this is important to make a difference.”
In his opinion, “all together they make a very strong team”, but “this team can only work well” if each of the Portuguese joins it to prevent fires from starting.
António Costa believed that Portugal was better prepared than in 2017, but insisted that the Portuguese cannot rely on “the training of firefighters, the GNR, the armed forces, all civil protection agents” alone.
“Their example requires from us only better preparation, that is, with even greater thoroughness,” which will be achieved “without kindling a fire, without working with agricultural machinery, without holding festivities and parties that were supposed to take place,” he said.
This visit by António Costa comes after the government decided on Saturday to declare a state of emergency from today to Friday, allowing the Civil Protection to mobilize “every means available to the country” to fight the fires.
According to the Interior Ministry, the declaration of the state of emergency was adopted in connection with weather forecasts for the coming days, “which indicate an increased risk of rural fires,” and will involve strengthening the organization of fire brigades with up to 100 new brigades, among other measures.
The Lusa Agency has requested the Chamber of Sesimbra in the district of Setúbal to host the Super Rock Festival in Aldeia do Meco, taking into account the state of unforeseen circumstances throughout the country.
The municipality indicated that the meeting of the municipal civil protection on this issue began at 17:00, sending a response to a later time.
The president of the Moto Clube de Faro also told Luza that he would meet with the mayor, following the words of Prime Minister António Costa.
The 40th Faro International Motorcycle Camp will take place from 14 to 17 July at Vale das Almas, next to Faro International Airport.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
