The president of the Agency for the Integral Management of Rural Fires (AGIF), Tiago Oliveira, said this Thursday that the reduction of fires “has been more expressive” in the North, Center and Valle del Tajo regionsthan in the Algarve and Alentejo.
At the presentation ceremony of the “Portugal calls” campaign to Portuguese companies at the Ministry of Economy and the Sea, Tiago Oliveira also highlighted the “change of pattern in those very difficult days”, in the North, Center and Vale do Yew, and compared to the situation in Alentejo and Algarve that “although there are fewer fires, they continue to occur due to the use of machinery because, in reality, the vegetation is very dry and any spark can cause a fire, especially on windy days”
The president of AGIF announced that, in five years, Portugal managed to reduce the number of fires from 20 thousand to less than 10 thousand essentially due to the “behavior change” of the populations.
The president of AGIF recalled that Slash and burn and the use of agricultural machinery are prohibited in the summer season. on days of maximum fire risk, realizing that they are responsible for more than half of the fires.
The “Portugal Chama” campaign, an AGIF initiative that was attended by the Minister of Economy and the Sea, António Costa Silva, and several businessmen, aims to raise awareness among companies so that they alert their employees and customers about the need to avoid risk behaviors and contribute to reducing the number of ignitions.
Tiago Oliveira considered that the contribution of businessmen “is essential to reduce the number of fires.”
In the act, the Minister of Economy and Sea He also called on businessmen to participate in this “national plan” to protect the forest and minimize the risk of fires..
Source: Observadora
