The European Union dispatched two water-bombing aircraft from Spain to the Portuguese island of Madeira on Thursday to aid in extinguishing a wildfire that has been burning for eight days. The fire, which ignited on August 14, has scorched nearly 5,000 hectares (12,355 acres) of vegetation, predominantly in mountainous regions with steep inclines and challenging access. Portugal sought help through the EU's civil protection system RescEU. EU officials supplied the two Canadair planes and indicated that the bloc is prepared to mobilize further resources if needed. Regional leader Miguel Albuquerque announced that the planes would participate in the firefighting operations on Thursday afternoon.
"These planes, capable of releasing 6,000 liters of water, will only be employed to suppress the fire in the central mountain range. They cannot be used in urban or agricultural zones," he stated to the national broadcaster RTP. Firefighters, supported by a dozen vehicles and a helicopter, were combating the fire in the central mountain range and in Ponta do Sol, located on the southern coast. Both areas are elevated and distant from residential zones.
Madeira, an autonomous region of Portugal with approximately 250,000 inhabitants and a renowned tourist spot, has been on high alert due to elevated temperatures and the potential for wildfires. Increasing global temperatures as a result of climate change have resulted in more frequent wildfires, affecting regions from Southern and Eastern Europe to North America and parts of Asia.
