Four air assets fought the fire that mobilized nearly eight dozen personnel from 9 fire brigades. Fire considered under control at 19,00 hours.
A violent fire consumes since 16,00 hours a vast area of Tapada Grande de Mina de São Domingos, in the Mértola municipality, from north to southwest, not putting the river beach at risk, considered one of the best in Europe in terms of interior.
According to information provided by the Baixo Alentejo Sub-Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command (CSREPCBA), the alert to fire was given to 16,05 hours, being fought by 78 operational, supported by 25 vehicles from nine fire brigades and four aerial assets, two Canadair planes and two heavy bomber helicopters.
The Mértola firefighters are fighting the fire., Almodovar, Alvito, Castro Verde, Moura, Ourique, Serpa and Vidigueira in the Beja district and Alcoutim in the Faro district.
Second Jorge Santos, commander of the Mértola Volunteers, the “fire was reported to be under control shortly after 19,00 hours, with all the means still in place to be considered extinct”, not advancing the causes that were, at the beginning of the same.
In the southwestern part of the old mining village, there are some vegetable gardens belonging to local citizens that were also never in danger due to the quick and effective intervention of firefighters.
Tapada Grande de Mina de São Domingos
Eleven years ago, from 2012 which is awarded the Blue Flag and is also part of the Accessible Beach Program, allowing better use by people with reduced mobility.
From 2017 that the river beach of Tapada Grande de Mina de São Domingos, is chosen at the World Travel Awards as the best European destination in the “Inland Beaches” category.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
