Friday Briefing: From Devil's Breath
Good morning and welcome to PORTUGAL DECODED. It's been seven years since Portugal's worst natural disaster in years. As peak wildfire season begins, we look deeper into the causes of the 2017 fires.
TALK OF THE TOWN
POLITICS
CNN Portugal leaked wiretaps of former PM António Costa, just as he is vying for a top EU position, triggering renewed calls for a justice system reform (More).
The mother of the twins at the heart of a favouritism scandal involving President Rebelo de Sousa is due to testify today at a Parliamentary Inquiry hearing into the case (More).
SOCIETY
Portugal’s resident population surpassed 10.6 million in 2023 - the highest value ever. The growth was the result of a positive migration balance of 155,700 people, which offset the negative natural balance (More).
Lisbon rose 17 positions in Mercer’s global ranking of the most expensive cities for expatriate workers, now occupying 100th place in a list that compares the cost of living in 226 cities around the world (More).
ECONOMICS
Portugal no longer has macroeconomic imbalances, the European Commission said on Wednesday, attributing the change to a “reduction in vulnerabilities” at a budgetary level (More).
Portugal climbed three spots in the IMD’s 2024 World Competitiveness Ranking. This is the country’s best performance since 2021, having surpassed Spain in this year’s edition (More).
CULTURE AND SPORTS
Portuguese artist Grada Kilomba is among the six finalists in the competition for the Memorial to the Victims of Transatlantic Slavery to be erected in London. The winner will be announced at the end of the year (More).
On the eve of Portugal’s successful debut against Czech Republic on Euro2024, the most watched TV broadcast this year, Cristiano Ronaldo bought a 10% stake in the prestigious Portuguese porcelain brand Vista Alegre (More).
IN FOCUS
DECODER
What started the 2017 wildfires in Pedrogão Grande?
On the afternoon of June 17, 2017, four wildfires erupted within minutes of each other across central Portugal. They eventually grew into a massive firestorm resulting in 64 deaths and 204 injured. The disaster highlighted the need for improved forest management, better infrastructure maintenance, and more effective emergency response systems.
According to the Agency for the Integrated Management of Rural Fires (AGIF), which yesterday delivered its 2023 report to the National Assembly, these challenges have been partly addressed since. However, more efforts need to go into active vegetation management in order to prevent “faster and more severe” like the one in Pedrógão.
There are still many answers missing, and conflicting theories about what started the fires in the first place. Find out which are the main ones:
A dry thunderstorm
The Portuguese weather agency IPMA said in an initial report that the fire had spread so quickly because of exceptional conditions brought about by climate change. A severe heatwave had hit the region, with temperatures soaring above 40°C (104°F).
This intense heat, coupled with low humidity and strong winds, created highly flammable conditions in the dry, dense eucalyptus forests. In these conditions, a dry thunderstorm, which produces lightning without significant rainfall, ignited a fire, which then spread rapidly due to the wind and dry vegetation.
However, after carrying out a more detailed study of the thunderstorm discharges recorded on the sensors of the Iberian network, IPMA went back on this position a few days later, concluding that the probability of this fire having been caused by the thunderstorm, although not null, was extremely low.
An electric discharge from power lines
A report by Coimbra University’s Forest Fire Research Centre (CEIF) concluded that the fire was caused by “contact between the vegetation and an EDP medium-voltage power line,” which “was not properly looked after.” The report included drone images showing the close proximity of EDP power lines to vegetation.
In turn, Independent Technical Commission that looked into the events blamed found that the fire was caused by electric discharge both from thunders and the power lines, stating that the line was “very close to the treetops” and that “the ignition point was located on a section of the medium-voltage line that, for a length of 500 metres, had no protective strip”.
In turn, EDP refuted this argument, saying that the accusation “is unfounded, as it carried out regular surveillance of the electrical lines and intervened in the vegetation, fulfilling all its obligations in order to guarantee the quality of service and network security”.
Arson
Shortly after the fires, the then President of the Firefighters League, Jaime Marta Soares, said that the fire had a “criminal hand”. He recalled that the fire was already active two hours before the dry thunderstorm occurred and guarantees that the League will demand to know what happened in this case.
However, a later report by the Criminal Investigation Police (PJ) concluded that there was no criminal hand in the Pedrógão Grande fire: “The PJ, in perfect coordination with the GNR, managed to determine the origin of the fire and everything points very clearly to natural causes. We even found the tree that was struck by lightning,” said Almeida Rodrigues.
TIPS OF THE WEEK
Lisbon
Gypsy Kings
The Gipsy Kings by Diego Baliardo will give a free concert on Saturday, June 22 at the Grande Arraial de Benfica, starting at 23.00."Bamboléo", "Volare" and "Djobi, Djoba" are some of the hits that will probably be heard at this concert, as well as Spanish versions of "Hotel California" by the Eagles and "My Way" by Frank Sinatra. It's a line-up that Portuguese audiences know well - after all, the band that was born out of the musical marriage between the Reyes and Baliardo gypsy families at the end of the 1970s in Arles, France, is a regular on national stages. In addition to the music, there will be food and drink stalls and children's entertainment.
Porto
St. John’s Fest
Held annually on June 23rd, the festival honours Saint John the Baptist. It features a lively mix of traditions, including music, dancing, and elaborate fireworks displays over the Douro River. Revellers take to the streets with plastic hammers and leeks, playfully tapping each other on the head, a unique and light-hearted custom of the event. Grilled sardines, caldo verde, and wine are staple treats, adding a culinary delight to the festivities. The atmosphere is electric, with colourful decorations and street parties continuing until dawn. A notable highlight is the release of illuminated paper lanterns into the night sky, creating a magical and unforgettable spectacle. St. John’s Festival encapsulates the spirit of Porto, blending cultural heritage with joyous communal celebration.
Douro
Historic train
Travelling on the Douro Historical Train, which runs each year between June-October, is to take a trip back in time. The journey follows the banks of the River Douro, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on a 1925 steam locomotive and five historic carriages built between 1908 and 1934. With a capacity for 254 passengers, the train departs from Régua is at 3:30 pm, arriving at Tua at 4:40 pm (with a stop at Pinhão). On the way back, it leaves Tua at 5:08 pm to arrive at Régua station at 6:26 pm (with a stop at Pinhão). Passengers are greeted 30 minutes before departure and offered a glass of Port - ‘Porto Ferreira’, water, Régua sweets and gifts from the region. Adults pay 54 euros and children 28 euros. There are special prices for groups.
Águeda, Albergaria-a-Velha, Estarreja, Ílhavo
Festim 2024
A performance by the Suba Trio - formed by Cuban pianist Omar Sosa, Senegalese kora master Seckou Keita and Afro-Venezuelan percussionist Gustavo Ovalles - marks the opening of this festival taking place between June 21 and July. With events spread across four municipalities in Aveiro district, this 15th edition of the festival also features “an explosive mix of Bulgarian folk music and Balkan rhythms” by Ivo Papasov & the His Wedding Band, the voice of Haiti brought by rapper and activist Robints "Vox Sambou" Paulo and the melting pot prepared by Cape Verdean Nancy Vieira and flavoured with mornas, samba, fado, funaná, jazz and pop. Tickets and schedules here.
Idanha-a-Nova
Being Gathering 2024
The Being Camp is a holistic camping experience taking place from 15 to 28 July 2024, in two cycles of seven days, dedicated to individuals and families that want to ground and disconnect. The purpose is to create a fusion of arts, community life, music, workshops therapies, yoga practices and coexistence at Boomland. It is a camping experience dream come true for family, friends, or to simply have some relaxing time on your own. Full information here.
Olhão
Guided architecture walk through the city
On Saturday June 22, the Olhão Museum organises, in partnership with the Algarve Regional Section of the Order of Architects, Sena Architects and the company JMC Construções, a guided tour of the city’s architecture from 10.30am. For approximately two hours, visitors will be able to see buildings in different stages of construction and understand the construction systems used, probably inspired by Morocco, and the new rehabilitation techniques. This initiative, which is open to the general public, aims to publicise Olhão’s built heritage, which has earned it the epithet “Cubist city,” and promote the use of appropriate techniques in the rehabilitation of buildings with heritage value. Registration, which is free of charge, is limited to 15 participants and must be made by June 21 at 4.30pm to museu@cm-olhao.pt.
Bom fim da semama!