The hiking trail between Pico do Areeiro and Pico Ruivo, which was affected by the fire on the island of Madeira, will remain closed as it is not safe, while the land consumed by the fire is being cleaned up, a source from the Regional Government reported today.
“The emblematic trail from Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo is one that, having suffered the consequences of the fire in the central mountain range, cannot remain open and there is signage showing this to tourists who visit us that it must be respected, because it does not offer safe conditions until it has been fully verified”, said the regional secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment, Rafaela Fernandes, to the Lusa news agency.
Rafaela Fernandes added that the trail, one of the most popular on the island, will require “intervention in the middle of the stretch”, and alternatives are being created “for those who want to enjoy the views and nature” in that location, “which is compromised”. ad
According to the government official, work has been carried out to “restore and activate the trails based on inspections to determine whether everything is in order” after the fire, and other well-known and highly sought-after sites, namely the Caldeirão Verde and Rabaçal trails, are now available for visits.
The rural fire on Madeira Island broke out on August 14 in the mountains of the municipality of Ribeira Brava, in the parish of Serra de Água, and gradually spread to the municipalities of Câmara de Lobos, Ponta do Sol and Santana.
On Tuesday, after 13 days, the regional civil protection agency indicated that the fire was “completely extinguished”.
Data from the European Forest Fire Information System indicate that more than 5,104 hectares of area have been burned.
In environmental terms, the official stressed that work has already begun to clear the land affected by the fire for subsequent reforestation.
“The work of moving the trees is already underway, in accordance with the requests that farmers have made to us, and also the replacement of pipes and cleaning of irrigation channels to guarantee water for irrigation”, she added.
Regarding the plant area that is under public management, Rafaela Fernandes alluded to what happened in Boca da Corrida, in the municipality of Câmara de Lobos, one of the municipalities affected by the fire, where in one area it was “technically determined that there were conditions to use the trees that were already there”, since only “the tips were burned”.
As there was water available, she continued, “the municipality considered it possible to move forward with the reforestation” of the area, an action that was carried out in collaboration with the services of the Regional Secretariat.
Rafaela Fernandes also highlighted the work carried out by Florestas da Madeira over the years, “particularly at the level of the forest nurseries that precisely have the function of guaranteeing the continuation of many of the species that are unique to the Autonomous Region of Madeira and that will be very important in the recovery of the area”.
The official recalled that in other similar situations, such as the fires in October and November 2023, “forest nurseries have opened their doors to provide public and private entities with plants that have been worked on free of charge”.
Now, she pointed out, they will also “be available for people to use in this repopulation of the areas that were burned and with the concern of always ensuring the safeguarding of these species typical of Madeira”.
In the case of agriculture, the official highlighted that the region has a plant bank and provides technical assistance.
“To move the land, these have to receive organic matter so that they can become suitable for production and only with the first rains, we are talking about a time between September and October, depending on the first rains, will they be ready to receive the new plantations”, she explained, reinforcing that there is “a very important coordination with the councils and parish councils” to ensure “an intervention that is determined by technical matters”.
During the days when the fire was raging, the authorities advised nearly 200 people to leave their homes as a precaution and provided public shelters, but many residents returned home.
Fighting the flames was hampered by the wind and high temperatures, but according to the Regional Government, there were no reports of injuries or destruction of homes or essential public infrastructure, although some small agricultural production was affected, as well as forest areas.
The Judicial Police are investigating the causes of the fire, but the president of the Madeiran executive, Miguel Albuquerque, said it was arson.