The commander of the Portuguese League of Fire Brigades, Jaime Marta Soares, said that the number of fires set deliberately this past weekend goes beyond any established pattern displayed by arsonists, and suggested that a ‘terrorist organisation’ is behind these tragedies.
The seemingly careful selection of multiple incendiary points to create large fires, led Soares to comment, "I believe that there is a terrorist organisation that is premeditated and organised to set fire to our country, it is a way of creating instability,"
Soares said that fires kill workers, land and equipment and damage our rural economy. Therefore it is necessary to investigate and analyse all of the questions raised to find out who’s behind the fires.
The fire chief also called on the "political leaders of this country, who quickly should reflect on what they should have done, but did not do."
Defensive of those of his firemen that are volunteers, there has been criticism that this group therefore is untrained, Soares called for more equipment and the creation of "strategies at least to reduce the damage in this situation."
"When nature is like this, nothing scientifically can fight it," said Soares, adding "a word of solidarity and friendship to the families that lost their loved ones, but also to the mayors who are going through terrible times and to the Portuguese firemen, who continue in a stoic way, to fight against an angry nature."
With the death from the weekend fires now at 31, the best the Minister of Internal Administration could come up with is that "we need to think seriously about the Civil Protection system and the forests, which will take a lot of time."
Constança Urbano de Sousa said there is no way she was resigning, "This is a time for action, running away would be the easiest way out" and that she was using her holiday time to be available.
Probed by journalists, the minister replied three times that a resignation "would not solve the problem," reminding journalists that hers is a difficult job and adding that "It's going to take a long time for us to have an orderly forest."
PM António Costa said it was childish to even consider sacking the minister - he recalled her being "committed to her work,” while he took the opportunity to praise firefighters and send his condolences to those affected.
The death toll stands at 31.
Photo of a forest fire taken by Hélio Madeiras, a firefighter for 19 years and since 2005 in the Special Unit Canarinhos
5:00 pm on Sunday in Vieira de Leiria (D.R.)