In a statement sent to newsrooms, the Madeiran Civil Protection informs that 92 operatives from the Volunteer Fire Departments of Calheta, Câmara de Lobos, Madeirenses, Ribeira Brava and Ponta do Sol, São Vicente and Porto Moniz are on the ground, Santana, Sapadores do Funchal, Sapadores de Santa Cruz, Machico Municipalities, Helitransported Brigade, Forest Police, GNR, Portuguese Red Cross and Regional Relief Operations Command, supported by 26 vehicles and air support.

The same note states that the regional secretary of Health and Civil Protection, Pedro Ramos, and the president of the municipality of Calheta, Carlos Teles, are monitoring the work carried out in managing the fire, “as well as the situation regarding the fire in the Curral das Freiras, in the Seara Velha area, where 10 members of the Câmara de Lobos Volunteer Fire Department are working with four vehicles”.

The fire in Calheta broke out on Wednesday, around 6:00 pm, in the parish of Prazeres, and led to the evacuation of 120 guests from a hotel, having spread during the night to the adjacent parish of Fajã de Ovelha.

This morning, a school and the health center in Fajã da Ovelha were also closed, as well as access to the parish.

At around 1:00 pm, 55 firefighters from various fire brigades were fighting the fire, supported by seven land resources and the only firefighting helicopter in Madeira.

According to the regional secretary of Civil Protection, Pedro Ramos, until that time (13:00) an uninhabited house had burned down.