Suzanne Radford
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SATURDAY MORNING
Date: 04/08/2018 09:51 (GMT+00:00)
Subject: Monchique Fire: personal sitrep as at 0930hrs Saturday -View from Picota
Good morning all,
The wind here remains calm and through the thick haze we can see one, maybe two small lazy plume(s) of light grey smoke rising from where there was last evening a dark and high energy wall of smoke, glowing red at its base.
It seems that the folks on the ground have made big headway in attacking the outbreak. They must be totally exhausted fighting the fire(s) in full kit in this heat.
A number of helicopters have been in action since dawn. I have not heard any of the water-bombing aircraft -hopefully another sign that the fire is sufficiently under control - though the visibility is so poor with the smoke surrounding the hills it might preclude their involvement till the wind gets stronger - which we really don’t want.
Latest from www.fogos.pt shows over 700 firefighters, 180 vehicles and 10 aerial assets were involved at the height of the blaze.
That’s it from me - gut feeling is that barring the strengthening of the wind things seem under control and heading for a successful conclusion. BUT We will be watching that wind! (hindsight: how wrong can you be – though in my opinion, it was primarily the wind that did it!)
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SATURDAY LATE MORNING
Sent: 04 August 2018 11:57
Subject: RE: Monchique Fire: personal sitrep as at 1130hrs
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As it looks from here it’s all gone much calmer today - still heli-ops in progress but only one or two - difficult to see through the haze but no raging plumes of smoke.
Crucial thing is what the wind is going to do.
I suspect the controllers will have to be replacing the firefighters with fresh troops asap as they will desperately. need a break in this heat
Government issuing an official statement at noon - ish - when I get copied in I will forward to you.
Peter
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SATURDAY AFTERNOON
On 4 Aug 2018, at 16:58, Peter Weaver wrote:
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Alarm!
Don't know the official view but here's a personal report...
The fire seems to have increased in intensity and width from our viewpoint
Dirty brown smoke on a wide front rising rapidly indicates a good deal of heat underneath whereas before -at noon today -it was lazy white narrow plumes that one felt were under control.
We cannot see flames - I suspect are hidden by the ridge behind (North of) the N266 (Monchique to Nave Redonda road).
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Late Saturday Evening picture looking North of Monchique above N266
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It seems that fire has grown and my guess is it has now tracked east, maybe a bit north.
The recent crashes of thunder won’t help – let’s hope we don’t get any lightning ground strikes setting off more fires.
Not sure if these helos should fly in lightning conditions - collecting bucket loads of water on the end of wet rope not the heathiest thing to be doing in a thunderstorm!
Peter
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SATURDAY EVENING
On 4 Aug 2018, at 19:55, Peter Weaver wrote:
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Flames now visible at top of ridge above N266 Pomba way
BUT we have just had a deluge of large drops of rain. RAIN!
Yes! Black thunder/rain clouds to the east of us (and we would like to think) heading our way.
Hope they reach the fire-ground asap (no they did not !)
Wind blowing the fire south west now almost back on itself.
Change in wind direction might be just in time to avoid the houses next N266.
Have had two mains power cuts here - phone battery just about dead -recharging when we have power. Tablet and Wi-Fi link to Vodafone mast on Foia are battery powered till they run down. Will revert to our dinky but useful 2KW standby generator in extremis.
Peter
SATURDAY EVENING UPDATE:
Friend (who lives near N266 north of Monchique) reports: “just been up to Possa da Serra (emergency comms centre) been told not to worry, the fire will not reach Possa/Pomba N266 until early morning! that is where it will be stopped(?) lots of tree cutting and land clearance going on...approx 1500 people involved”
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