• Smoke, make fires or bonfires,
• Burn agricultural or forest debris
• Undertaking grassland or renewal burning or
• Operate tractors, machines or heavy transport vehicles that do not have fire extinguishers, spark and ember retention systems or flame dampers in the exhaust pipes or chimneys.

If you wish to burn debris or pasture renewal burning outside the critical period or when the wildfire hazard is not very high or maximum, you should contact contact your local council or the Forestry office. Burning is only permitted after obtaining a permit/permission from the city council or parish in your area. Anyone contravening this is liable for a fine up to € 60,000.

You should also:

• Avoid periods of strong winds that increase the intensity of the flames, which may ignite surrounding areas,
• Avoid the hottest days when debris and pasture are drier,
• Avoid fires in the proximity of trees, piles of firewood, gas containers or other highly inflammable material and overhead electric lines,
• Avoid burning large piles of debris and instead burn several small piles.

To check the daily fire hazard you can contact the local council, Forestry office, or easier still the Portuguese Weather Institute (Instituto Metereolgia) by internet. The later shows the fire risk by Municipalities throughout Portugal for the day and following day. For instance at the time preparing this news letter the risk in Monchique was extreme (maximum) whereas in the eastern Algarve it is high. Click here to view the map.

1. Knowing the problem - Managing fuel, in other words, the environment in the surrounding area is the best way to protect your house.
2. Define the Protection area. A minimum range of 50 meters (in some cases up to 100 meters for larger buildings) reduces the chances of a fire reaching your property.
3. Reducing the most flammable vegetation. Give priority to a 10 meter watering area around the property avoiding the planting of inflammable vegetation.
4. Thinning and pruning. It is important this is done regularly giving priority to weak or ill trees.
5. Keep the surrounding area cleaned. Do not keep firewood, forest or agricultural debris, or any type of inflammable material within a 50 meter distance to the property, except when kept in separate buildings.
6. Non-flammable pavement area. Keep an area of between 1 or 2 meters of pavement around the building.
7. Unobstructed access. Make a protection area of 10 meters on the vehicular access side of the property so that large emergency vehicles can can manoeuvre,
8. Clean the roof and other structures of the house. Remove dried grass, dead leaves, pine needles, tree branches and moss from the roofing gutters, eaves and in wooden decking.
9. Safety in your house. Place a net for the retention of sparks in the chimney and close any gaps where sparks may enter the interior of your home.
10. Be prepared in case of fire. Store shovels, rakes and hoses in an easily accessible location.

Dealing with forest fires involves a number of agencies which is coordinated by the ANPC Civil Protection agency. Other agencies such as the GNR also have vital roles to play with specialist units such as SEPNA that deal with environment protection issues and GIPS who deal with emergency situations such as fighting fires, other natural disasters and the evacuation and rescuing of victims. SEPNA has a wide range of responsibilities dealing, for instance, with cruelty to animals. 

In order that residents are more aware of the work of these agencies Safe Communities Algarve is holding, together with the GNR, a number of displays and seminars where people can speak to those involved and view some of the emergency equipment. The ANPC have also agreed to participate.

These displays/seminars are focused at those living in rural areas and will be in English. Captain Santos Commander of GNR Faro will be present together with GNR specialist units and their Safe Residence Programme team. Details are the events are as follows: 

• Tuesday 20th May 2014 from 1700 to 1900 hrs at the Freguesia de Santa B�rbara de Nexe, located at Rua Da Junta de Freguesia 8, Santa B�rbara de Nexe

• Thursday 22nd May 2014 from 1700 to 1900 at the Museu Do Trajo de Algarve, Rua Dr Jose Dias Sancho 61, Sao Bras de Alportel 

• Friday 30th May 2014 1600 to 1800 - Monchique (details to be confirmed)

Since 1981 Portugal has had an Integrated Medical Emergency System (SIEM). SIEM it is a set of entities that cooperate with one goal: providing assistance to victims of accident or sudden illness. These entities are the PSP, GNR, INEM, the fire department, the Portuguese Red Cross, Hospitals and Health Centres. INEM is the agency of the Ministry of Health responsible for coordinating the operation in mainland Portugal.

The system starts when someone calls 112 - The European Emergency Number. The service call connects to the national emergency centre operated by the PSP. Where the reason for the call has to do with health, it is transferred to the Center's Guidance Emergency Patients (CODU) unit under INEM. Whenever CODU initiates an emergency response it is handled by the unit closest to the place of occurrence, regardless of the entity to which it belongs. More information can be found at the INEM website.

It goes without saying that if you live in a rural area property insurance including the risk of fires is very important. It is also important that you check your clauses carefully as some elements of protection of property is mandatory. 

For instance one clause sometimes used is very general, but if you are not compliant with the law concerning the protection of your home, this could invalidate the insurance in the event of a claim:

"Law applicable to the Contract

You and We are free to choose the law applicable to this contract but in the absence of agreement to the contrary, the law of the country in which You reside at the date of the contract (or in the case of a business, the law of the country in which the registered office or principal place of business) will apply".

Safe Communities Algarve is a non-profit association run by unpaid volunteers. There are no salaried staff. Our services are free of charge to the public and the association is funded by donations. We help many people each year in dealing with the police as well providing a service which is unique in Portugal.

Your generosity by making a donation to help maintain and further develop the work of the association and thereby help keep the Algarve a safe place to live and visit would be appreciated. Any amount helps. 

We try and issue a newsletter every two weeks, either a "Special" as in this case or one that contains a variety of crime and crime prevention matters, news and events etc. If you wish to refer to an earlier newsletter going back to mid 2012 or find one you have not received one recently, please go to our Newsletter page which has the complete list. 

David Thomas

President
Associa��o Safe Communities Algarve

8 May 2014