Unprecedented Destruction? Madeira Wildfire Torches 7,000 Hectares Of Land

Over 7,000 Hectares Destroyed, Exceeding Last Year’s Total

The fire has already consumed more than 7,000 hectares of vegetation, surpassing the total area burned in the entire archipelago last year. According to Publico and data backed by the European Forest Fire Information System, the scale of destruction has been unprecedented in recent times. The wildfire shows no signs of ceasing, with two active fronts still threatening municipalities.

Equivalence of 7000 Hectares

7,000 hectares is roughly equivalent to:

• 140 Disneyland Resorts, or

• 35 times the size of Monaco, or

• 66.7% of the area of Paris, or

• 118% of the area of Manhattan, or

• 10,000 soccer fields

Firefighters Face Challenges in Difficult Terrain

Nearly 200 firefighters are battling the blaze, which is being fueled by hot, windy conditions. The rugged terrain of Madeira is making containment efforts particularly challenging. Despite their best efforts, the fire remains far from fully controlled.

Criticism Grows as Residents Report Delayed Response

As the fire continues to wreak havoc, residents in affected areas have voiced concerns about the timeliness of the emergency response. Some locals in Curral das Freiras have reported delayed assistance from firefighters and police, while others noted long periods without aerial support as the fire spread. The media is furthermore arguing, that the president went back to pursue his vacation in Porto Santo.

Sources:
RTP Madeira
Observador
European Forest Fire Information System
RFI
Publico

Image: Generative Concept (Symbol)