Suzanne Radford
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LATER - MONDAY MORNING.
On 6 Aug 2018, at 09:01, Peter Weaver
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It was one hell of a night.
Am fighting fires as they break out - even now I must dash to a nearby tree stump that’s smoking. As soon as the wind gets up it will shower sparks downwind and off we go again.
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About 70% of our site remains untouched thanks to a huge amount of prior "cleaning" and 11,000 litres of water in tanks around the site. That is almost all gone with the main feeder pipe from a high water mine burned through. so we would not survive a repeat firestorm today.
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Our site viewed from the top (next the road) – remarkably untouched –Northern slopes of Foia on the left - smoking as is most of the ridge to the right.
Neighbour’s car can just be seen parked-up left centre, as the safest place around here.
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Our boundary!
We are very glad we stayed put - so far.
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Both Weavers and dogs(2) In good spirits having (the humans) had a skinny dip in our pool at dawn to wash off the smuts, grime etc. of the nights firefighting - the pool temp... .32 degrees just like a bath!
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It looks as though we have a post apocalypse scene here.
Below our site the trees have been shredded and what’s left including the ground immediately in front is as black as... well let’s say... burned vegetation.
Either side of us the ground is bare - bald black rocks on one side with grey ash where the trees once were -and some fires still smoking The biggest fear now - re-ignitions - we have seen over the past few days at about 2pm the wind increases and the world explodes with high energy black smoke in areas that seem to have been burned previously.
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Guess the boundary – note the blackened tree stumps within our green area! It is still green only thanks to my being on site and able to use the swimming-pool water and perform rapid extinguishing of “re-ignitions”
Right now the helicopters are hard at work defending Monchique by the sound of it. I'm still waiting to hear the reassuring sound of the water-bombing aircraft entering the area but our valley is enveloped in thick smoke so too dangerous for them hereabouts.
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I saw two GNR vehicles going up our minor road at 5:30 this morning seemingly reporting the still - burning patches that are all around here (some just smouldering waiting for the wind). That recce shows the road is open – enough for them.
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Must deal with that tree stump now.
Peter
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MONDAY AFTERNOON
Sent: 06 August 2018 4:58 PM
Subject: Re: Monchique Fire Peter's Personal SITREP
Subtitled: So .... How Many Poles in Portugal?
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Good afternoon folks
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To say all is now calm would be tempting fate -and telling a lie!
Someone on Foia reported seeing three fires atop Picota (our) Ridge and one in our valley a couple of hours ago. This afternoon I have heard the wail of a siren in the valley so I guess it’s an " ongoing situation" as they say. That explains the smoke and steady fall of ash flakes at our location for the past three hours . Many properties all around us lost their roofs to the inferno yesterday afternoon or were burned-out entirely. One has to wonder just how much land cleaning they - or their neighbours - had done, how old was their roof? Maybe it’s not their fault and their house was just too close to a neighbour’s eucalyptus plantation/wilderness.
Just before lunchtime (another sandwich and apple dining extravaganza) I had a charming (?) and suitably concerned phone call from our insurance agent. Amazing! Actually he is a very helpful chap. He was genuinely concerned for our safety and asked if he could do anything to help.
To serious matters... Today after the very welcome early skinny dip in our 32 degree swimming pool (its OK nobody could see - the smoke was too thick!) the main focus has been on damping down (chucking buckets of water over) the small patches of fire that break out here and there but mostly there = not near the house. Mental note I must get rid of old tree stumps as they can hold a glowing flake of ash for many, many minutes then burst into flame just when you think you can go in for a nap! They are worryingly intelligent I say!
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One of the burned tree-stumps – I got to this one just in time
I heard a report that people were evacuated all the way down from Caldas de Monchique, Montinho and the MacDonald Hotel down to Maximinho (that’s on the N266 to Portimão way the other side of Monchique from where the fire started for those who don’t know).
I drove into Monchique this morning for a recce and essential provisions including ice cubes ( -we have the gin, tonic and lemons -some gently roasted* but no power for the freezer!).
It was a scene of devastation all the way there. Bare rocks with light grey ash almost like a snow scene on a Christmas card ( yes, we do send some very odd cards ) on either side of the strangely clear road, that is except for kilometres of electrical/phone cable strewn about on the ground as many of the wooden poles have burned down.
This could have been our “escape route” – ya think?
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Those poles still standing won't for much longer -closer inspection revealed most of them to have perilously thin, charred 'stems' from ground level up for about 30 cms Some poles were leaning drunkenly (still referring to the wooden variety, lower case, pole) over the road, being supported only by their wires. Not good.
It could take a long time to repair such extensive damage to whatever network. So explaining my heading.... “How Many Poles in Portugal?”
For those intending to pay us a surprise visit (YMBJ) I was prevented from returning to Villa Caprice by two polite but very firm GNR chaps positioned at the Intermarche roundabout. One said I could walk home but no cars were allowed past his outstretched pistol -
- no I mean empty hand (that did get your attention though!)
So I took the secret alternative route (Picota South), passing one lone team of Bombeiros damping down a very black/ grey hillside. Still more poles and cables on the ground and devastated yet almost beautiful landscape in light grey (rather hot to the touch btw - so be wary of driving on the verges if passing a wide vehicle – like a fire engine ! )
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Why has this episode - hardly a SITREP - been so long and rambling you might ask... Because, once I have pressed "SEND" I have tasked myself with another bucket patrol around the sloping 2.82 hectares and my legs needed a rest.
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Peter looking towards Foia shrouded in smoke - still burning on its North side. My location: high ground just East of our site (you can just see the green of some of our trees in the centre left)
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Just think of our heroic Bombeiros, GIPS, aviators, military folk and all - they can't excuse themselves to have a long SITREP,
That’s it for now I'm off for a different sort of ramble...
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Spirits high, temperature higher!
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Peter
* could that be yet another variety of gin-based drink: gin and tonic with lightly smoked lemon?
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MONDAY EVENING
From: Peter Weaver
Date: 06/08/2018 18:38 (GMT+00:00)
Subject: Re: Monchique Fire Peter's Personal SITREP
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One should not rely on hearsay but ten minutes ago we learned that the main road from Foia (Arampa) down to Monchique town has been closed.
The source said that he had just seen a large plume of flame & smoke erupt from near the Convent -heading our way -but Monchique is in the way (sort of).
Sounds of intense aerial activity to our West (direction of Monchique).
Third hand but latest info folks. Reliable source.
Bfn
Peter
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