‘No risk’ to tourists from forest fires says Algarve Tourist Board

No tourists remain at risk in the Monchique mountain range, according to the Algarve Tourist Board.

Forest fires have been burning in the area since the afternoon of August 3rd, with the Macdonald Monchique Resort & Spa evacuated over the weekend.

Hundreds of tourists were told as flames came within a mile of the complex.

However, the fire situation is now “more favourable”, according to authorities, with the forecast of lowering temperatures and increasing humidity in the next few days.

As a precaution, and for the comfort of the local inhabitants, several roads have been closed, and several locations evacuated, including two hotels, whose guests were moved to alternative hotels along the coast.

“The highest standards of safety and protection of residents and tourists is being guaranteed, and there is full confidence in the personnel mobilised to fight the fire, who have already dominated 95 per cent of its perimeter,” said the president of the Tourism Region of Algarve, João Fernandes.

Fernandes this morning met with the president of the District Civil Protection Commission of the Algarve, the operational commander of the Algarve Civil Protection, the secretary of state for Civil Protection to discuss the situation.

During the meeting, a decision was taken not to activate additional measures beyond those already taken by Civil Protection.

The British Foreign Office earlier this week warned tourists to avoid the area.