Opinion (Rogério COPETO / Official GNR): TO CLEAN, TO PREVENT, TO PROTECT, COMBAT AND INVESTIGATE.
it is pointed out today the first day of spring and tomorrow marks the International Day of the tree, so we take the time to address the issue of forest protection against fire and the only paper in the country, that performs the cleaning GNR, prevention, protection, combat and investigation of rural fires.
Rogério COPETO
Lieutenant Colonel of the GNR
Master in Law and Security and Homeland Security Auditor
Head of the Education Division / Command Doctrine and Training
With regard to forest cleaning, We ended last week, day 15 March, the deadline for owners, tenants, beneficial or entities, in any way, hold land adjoining the buildings entered in rural areas, proceed with the fuel management, according to the rules contained in Decree-Law No. 124/2006, of 28 June, with the wording given to him by Lei n.76 / 2017, of 17 August, and the failure to comply with these cleaning actions is subject to fines, that can go from 280 euros and 10 thousand euros in the case of an individual and between 1.600 euros and 120 thousand euros in the case of legal persons.
In this area, the GNR not only fits the lifting of administrative offense proceedings for breach, but he was also responsible for cartographic survey of the areas to be cleaned in all parishes identified as being at risk, back to GNR to land from 1 April, to check what remains clear, informing municipalities, in order to ensure cleanliness in the months of April and May.
On the issue of prevention of rural fires government lassoed the campaign "Portugal Flame"And for the same purpose the GNR has on the ground, throughout the national territory, the operation "Safe forest 2019", from 15 January, just finished the day 6 of December, further strengthening the patrolling and surveillance, preventing risk behaviors, as well as the detection and combating rural fires, ensuring the safety of people and their heritage.
Operation "Safe Forest 2019", has as objective to alert any particular population, local authorities, forest producers, school communities and farmers, to the importance of preventive procedures to adopt, particularly on the use of fire for burning and burned, cleaning and removal of bushes and the maintenance of the fuel management tracks.
To protect the clusters and self-protection of populations, were last year created the "Programs Village Safe and Insured" and who were executed by the GNR in Monchique fire in August, which resulted in no mortal victim, Taking this point of view, been successful evacuation of the clusters where the fire drew up for a week.
"Programs Village Safe and Insured" have as main objective the identification of the parishes "Security Officer", with the mission of transmitting warnings to the population, organize the evacuation of the cluster if necessary and make awareness-raising among the population, signaling escape routes in settlements, define places of refuge in the villages, sensitize people to what to do in case of fire and how to avoid risky behaviors.
For more information on the "Safe Village Programs and Insured" should be consulted page on the internet created for this purpose, and the guide to support implementation.
Although they have already proven their efficiency and for effective implementation of the "Safe Village Programs and Insured" exercises are performed, to train the evacuation of settlements, is performed as in example Braganca, last weekend and which the SIC echoed in the article "The bell rang the alarm in the village of Gestosa, in Vinhais".
In the fight to rural fires, GNR in during the time critical fire forces will engage Protection and Relief Intervention Group (GIPS) in initial and expanded / extended attack actions, with land and means heliborne.
And research into the causes of fires, as well as the validation and measurement of burned areas will be ensured by the Protection Service of Nature and the Environment (SEPNA), which may not this year count on the reinforcement of the new 200 Park Rangers, which contest We ended on 12 March, They should however be able to be engaged in the operation "Safe Forest 2020", after finishing a course of specific training, lasting 180 days.
And speaking of burnt area and according to the data available, compared to know 2017, the year 2018 It ended with a reduction in 40% ignitions and the area burned in more than 92%, It can be added to these data, zero Registration killed as a result of rural fires last year, due to the selfless commitment of all professionals GNR, military and civilian, in protecting people and their property.
So this fire season, which provides warm and dry, in addition to having a cleaner forest, Portugal can count on professionals GNR, better trained and more effective in preventing, suppression and investigation of rural fires, for hosting the lessons learned, result of the experience of recent years, as well as the people will be better prepared to face the risks, hoping, that in the year 2019 repeat the zero register deaths.
