“We are currently carrying out topographic surveys of the municipal public roads and paths to be restored and we hope to have the process completed by the end of the year so that we can launch the tender for the project”, José Gonçalves told Lusa.

The intervention, budgeted at 2.7 million euros, will be 60% financed by the Municipal Emergency Fund (FEM), created by the Government in 2022 so that the municipalities affected by the fires can repair the damage to infrastructure and equipment.

“We will have to cover 40% or more than one million euros, and we will need to take out a bank loan,” the mayor pointed out.

The fire that broke out on August 5, 2023, in the municipality of Odemira, district of Beja, affected an area of ​​around 2,000 hectares in the parish of Odeceixe, in Aljezur.

Starting in the Baiona area, in the parish of São Teotónio (Odemira), the fire spread to the Algarve municipalities of Monchique and Aljezur and was only declared under control six days after it broke out.

According to the ICNF, this fire was the largest recorded in 2023 and consumed at least 7,530 hectares.

In the opinion of José Gonçalves, the support from the FEM “appears as an opportunity” to restore some of the access roads that “were damaged and were further deteriorated by the fire”.

“It is indeed a unique opportunity because there are no EU funds for the recovery of the municipal public road network, one of the major problems and challenges for municipal councils”, he stressed.

The mayor revealed that the application for the recovery of the road network and equipment is one of two approved by the FEM for the intervention and recovery of the burnt area.

The other that was approved, he explained, is an application worth 160 thousand euros intended for the promotion of tourism in the affected area of ​​the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park.

“It mainly aims to promote tourism with advertising initiatives, certification of sustainable tourist destinations, actions that we are already developing to attract more people to the area affected by the fire”, he concluded.

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