Given the evolving situation and the fact that “weather conditions are hindering the action of men on the ground”, and after further contact with the Secretary of State for Civil Protection and the President of the National Authority for Civil Protection, the Regional Government announced, in a statement, that “currently all the necessary logistics are underway to allow 80 members of the Special Firefighting Force to reach Madeira in the next few hours”.

“This force of men will complement all the work that is being done on the ground by firefighters, forest police and other entities involved in this fight against the fire”, says a note from the Regional Secretariat for Health and Civil Protection.

The same source highlights that the Regional Secretary for Health and Civil Protection, Pedro Ramos, accompanied by the member of the Regional Civil Protection Service, Marco Lobato, is following about the fires in Madeira on the ground.

It also informs that in the last hour, the means on the ground were reinforced, and the forest intervention teams assigned to the National Republican Guard were activated.

In summary:

• The situation remains challenging due to weather conditions.
• The government is taking decisive action, bringing in 80 specialized firefighters.
• The Regional Secretary is personally involved in managing the crisis.
• Resources on the ground have been increased, including the activation of the National Republican Guard’s forest intervention teams.

Overall, the situation is serious, but the government is actively responding and mobilizing additional resources to combat the fires.