Our Island is FINALLY Getting Help! (The Madeira Wildfires)

[@joenandamalie]

Please continue your generous support whether it's donations, food, water, etc. Check description for all info on donations and drop-offs. Madeira Wildfires GoFundMe: gofund.me/ae705c3e The Animal Shelter @ajudaaalimentarcaes: tr.ee/O_DO4PAuWo

[@zairoart]

Thank you for reporting. ❤ Stay safe, along with the beautiful people of beautiful Madeira. ❤

[@tomatomi8041]

Thank you for reporting this. I'm from Madeira too, and I'm convinced Miguel Albuquerque and the rest of the leadership have to be shamed on the international stage for the sake of the 250 000 inhabitants living on this island, and to preserve the laurissilva and the extremely rare bird species called "freira-da-Madeira". I'm sure as hell nothing is going to change. Nothing changed in 2016 during the wildfire that reached the capital city and caused material and human losses. If they wanted to change something, instead of implementing the carbon tax, they'd implement a tax on uninhabited plots, so that they are either cared for and properly used either for agriculture or for housing, or else the owners will take financial losses and become unable to keep that plot. This would dramatically decrease the presence of abandoned plots with a lot of materials ready to burn and cause wildfires. What we need right now is responsible owners. In regards to the natural areas, the government must populate those areas with wild cattle, to keep it safe from fires. THERE IS NO CATTLE IN THOSE AREAS. Before globalization reached this island to the degree it is today, it used to be full of farmland. In every plot there was a farm. Nowadays if you visit Porto da Cruz or Machico, there are so many abandoned plots, and one day the entire village will burn.

[@velianlodestone1249]

Porto da Cruz has plenty of inhabited and productive plots - not to mention the rest of the North which is very productive. Bad example - better examples are found in Calheta, Prazeres, Faja de Ovelha - e.g. which is standing super abandoned. Edit to add: Globalization allowed young people from Madeira to go to the UK, france, the Netherlands - these young people no longer work on farms. Nobody can pay tax on uninhabited plots, they're uninhabited. The owners often don't even know they own a plot, they may have moved out of Madeira decades ago.

[@tomatomi8041]

@@velianlodestone1249 That's fair. I heared about Porto da Cruz and Machico from my father since he was born there and used to live in the upper hills in Portela. There is indeed considerable areas of farmland close to shore, what he told me was that the areas in the upper hills have much less farmland than it used to, and ironically he mentioned some plots next to the highway were replaced by laurissilva. Regardless, those taxes should go to those respective owners, even if they don't know they own those plots. They would eventually notice it in their bills.

[@sammie44]

You guys are doing a great job. Horrible situation! The “Bombeiros” are heroes! Keep safe!

[@KevKlopper]

You guys are doing Madeira a big favor by reporting on this. Thank you!

[@danielnascimento9961]

Great video. Being from Canhas, I'm grateful for your coverage of these terrible fires. You, too, now live in Ponta, do Sol, and seeing the forest burning around you is heartbreaking 💔

[@a.l.5201]

I am going to move there (from Finland) and help with re-planting the trees

[@cindyandrade6048]

Thank you for your commitment to helping us all understand the terrible fire situation on the island. We look forward to our annual visit next month 🫶🏻 Forever grateful to you two and your passion and love for this beautiful island of Madeira 💫

[@mariajosebrissos4376]

Thank you for everything you do! Blessings ❤❤

[@nathanielthompkins1206]

Thank you for covering❤ this

Public Service! Thank you!

[@2freedomjourney]

Great job reporting and updating us on the fires, I think RTP should hire you guys as I think you did a better job reporting 😁 You’re right the planes or extra Helicopters should’ve been ordered or requested much earlier, it could’ve been resolved with half the damage. Also when you run into the President of Madeira let him know and ask him to take a permanent vacation in Porto Santo🏖️ We need someone that deeply cares about Madeiras beautiful wilderness.

[@chrismerson3581]

Many thanks for the up to date information which is appreciated. It appears the novelty has perhaps worn off and it is not being widely reported upon elsewhere.

[@joenandamalie]

You're welcome. Well, as long as the fires are not extinguished, you won't find novelty fatigue on this channel.

[@chrismerson3581]

@@joenandamalie I will be coming to Madeira in September and will have a chance to see for myself what has happened. Taker care.

[@ruinunes8251]

We watched your latest videos all in a row about the Madeira fires. You have an amazing drone footage showing the burned areas. I'm native, but right now I'm foreigner somewhere. Your amazing drone footage shows how higher up the local farmers used to go to farm the land. Again, I'm native, but because the nature took over the abandoned farm land, I never realised that the local farmers went so high up to farm the land, now that the fire cleared the land, we can see how far up the local farmers used to go to grow their own food back in the day. It is so sad to see these fires. However, if we stop for a minute, we can understand how more and more these fires are happening with such intensity. Until about 30 years ago, fires of these dimensions were not seen or hardly ever seen. Let's see this point of view. In the past, out of necessity, “country side people” used to go to the mountains to collect Eagle fern every year, they went to the mountains to look for pine cones, pine needles, they went to the mountains to cut sticks for various needs around their own land plots, they went to the mountains to get firewood , there were cattle in the mountains that automatically cleaned the mountains, in short, just a few examples. Automatically, by necessity, part of the mountains and private land were largely clean. Nowadays there is no need to go to the mountains to collect this or that and everything grows without limit. Then, when unfortunately there is a fire... get out of the way, because with the amount of bush that exists in the mountains and private land due to lack of cleaning, and everything growing without control, no one stops the fire. At least if there were cattle, sheep, goats in the mountains, the mountains would be cleaner. But of course there are many “Wise people” so called “Experts” who know more than me and they say that cattle are not good in the mountains. Who am I to disagree. Simply my opinion. Have a good day ahead. Madeirans stay strong. Better days will come

[@giodefreitas]

I really have my doubts on how affective the canadairs were. I mean, you just stated in the video the helicopter was as affective as both canadairs and it cost less $$$. I would ratter put that $$$ on ways to prevent fires from starting. Nice video btw!

[@bonniesanchez4609]

Hi! We live in Portugal but from California. Even California, the 5th largest economy of the world, does not have their own large water planes. They rent from Canada and it takes days also so the wildfires destroy thousands of acres before they show up. I don’t know why and scratch my head always.

[@edjeh1966]

Tanks you for youre work.. we are coming to Madeira 09 september.. Thanks to your video we are reassured.. You bring the news calm and real.. Great Job..Greetings Ed en Mirjam

[@stonecold2653]

Great Reporting

[@jadedjhypsi]

I feel your attention to this fire is what brought the help. Portugal authorities seem to have a bad habit of inaction. =( I am glad to see the help coming, regardless....

[@joenandamalie]

Well, I don't know about that, but whatever triggered it, praise the lord! 😄

[@paulocorreia7942]

What do the Portuguese authorities have to do with this? Do you know that Madeira is an Autonomous Region with its own Government? The president of Madeira did not accept help from Mainland. And in case you didn't know, which is most likely, the country Portugal fights fires on the continent very well, getting better and better. And by the way, in that fire in Madeira, no one died, there were no injuries, and the agricultural fields are intact. They come from the North and the cold where they have never seen a fire and think this is Armageddon!!!

[@JoseFerreira-vj3lq]

Wrong! It was the Madeira president! As you may don't know, Madeira is an autonomous region with a regional president. This decision is his responsability!

[@a.l.5653]

​@@paulocorreia7942 yes it is Armageddon, cause its world heritage getting burned down and not just fires. These are millions years old trees. Once gone the island is destroyed and you can welcome big corporations opening data centres and enslaving your people even more.

[@vic7939]

Exactly. I'm from Ponta do Sol and 100 million+ ( probably close to 150) was spent on the Lugar de Baixo marina white elephant. Taxpayers money down the drain. We should at least have a couple of those planes instead of borrowing from the Spaniards ( although they are very much welcome and we should be thankful).

[@RuePhoto]

Muito obrigado Amalie & Joen, great citizen journalism! 😊 I wonder if this means Miguel Albuquerque will lose his seat at the next election for President of the Regional Government of Madeira?

[@j0s3mar9ues]

Portugal used to have this kind of cannadair plane but it was removed from the mainland as it was very efficient at putting out the fires. Powers that be did not want that and now it seems there’s huge interest on lithium where the burned out areas where.

[@a.l.5653]

Exactly my thoughts. Strange fire and its extinguishment approach.

[@SeanCBL7]

Having seen lots of wildfires in Croatia this month it’s quite shocking to see how slow the response was in Madeira 😮

[@cmmbat]

I live in Calheta and I saw today at noon the helicopter filled with water coming from Estrela da Calheta and flying east direction Ponta do Sol and coming back empty. Aparently the level of the water tanks in Ponta do Sol are low and so it refilled here in Calheta. I saw on RTP a few minutes later that some small fire spots were growing in Lombada da Ponta do Sol. Hopefully with the clouds from this afternoon these fire spots will extinct definetively! Thanks for your update by the way ;-)

[@GrimmJaw496]

the fires I have been on we would build fire line and also do aggressive mop up to at least 1000 feet(304 meters) inside the fires perimeter. hope they are doing that on Madeira...it just takes a dry stretch in the weather and some wind to start it up again.

[@reginadiasrebelo9128]

😎😎😎 QUEM SÃO OS ESTRANGEIROS QUE POEM O FOGO NA ILHA DA MADEIRA ?

[@luis.duarte]

1:58 You would need at least 2 because they fly in pairs

[@alicjaslawecka]

Is there any local application or website where we can find out which trails are open?

[@alicjaslawecka]

Thank you for information! :) We will be in Madeira on Tuesday. where can we check which trails are closed?

[@a.l.5653]

For now most famous trails are closed

[@alicjaslawecka]

@@a.l.5653 thank you, is there any aplication where I could check it when I will be on Madera?

[@johnoliveira8975]

Maybe Ronaldo can send a couple of millions to put the fires out.

[@tomatomi8041]

He's busy getting millions in the carpet land.

[@miguelmelchior986]

He’s gay.

[@johnoliveira8975]

@@tomatomi8041 no kidding

[@TugaTubeOficial]

every single time they dump the water they need to go back to porto santo ??

[@joenandamalie]

Ye

[@AlwaysOn702]

Back for fresh water? Back for fuel? Both are needed from somewhere suitable.

[@luisv8431]

The Portuguese experts always mentioned that water planes couldn't do the jobs mainly because Madeira orography. Madeira needs a drone surveillance to detect early fires, people lost...

[@marekkowal58]

when do you think those hiking trails will be open again?

[@francisdeoliveira3414]

Hi. Sad... I hate wild fires! Destruction of everything,who is beautiful,the nature/landscape.😢

[@allon33]

As an Australian, I can say that Eucalyptus are the devil's tree from hell. 🤠 They don't burn, they explode.

[@JenShea]

Such a shame, eh! I love that you love Madeira .

[@kimberlykeller8299]

How did the fires start?

[@tomatomi8041]

There are reports that it was triggered by pyrotechnics.

[@miguelmelchior986]

After a bad year of wild fires in 2023, they wanted more. Well they got it.

[@aeron]

2x Spanish Canadairs, Grupo 43

[@cgomezp3]

😢 Very sad to hear about the fire and how much was affected. Would you recommend people traveling within the next week cancel their trips? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

[@joenandamalie]

We address this question in the video. Don’t cancel your trip. Plenty to experience and explore

[@cgomezp3]

@@joenandamaliethank you! Yes, I wasn’t sure because I wasn’t able to get much information from the news. I appreciate you guys keeping us updated! Stay safe 😊

[@suepickert4444]

strange. all this time we were told the helicopter cannot be used because the valleys are too dangerous for it. now suddenly it can work in valleys?

[@paulafreitas5075]

That's because there were very strong winds🌬️🌬️🌬️

[@Kong-kg6ij]

What equipment are you filming on?

[@joenandamalie]

Canon R3 + iphone 15 pro + mavic 3

[@Kong-kg6ij]

@@joenandamalie thanks, coming to Madeira next year can't wait.

[@Ptolemy336VV]

9800 hectares were lost. I think Madeira got lucky. Madeira is like 73.000 hectares large. So 1/7.4th the size of the island was burned. So it's nothing that Madeira lost. Only like 15%.

[@miguelmelchior986]

lol

[@a.l.5653]

For you its nothing

[@Ptolemy336VV]

@@a.l.5653 yes. Its nothing indeed. Only 15% by luck. Be happy. You could have lost 70%. Matter of looking at it. One day 50 years later when you're old, this nature is finally 30% restored. Because some species regrow there maybe after 10 years, but the ecosystem itself takes 100 years. Maderia will still be a nice island to visit

[@joenandamalie]

Cant tell if you are trolling. I hope so.

[@Ptolemy336VV]

@@joenandamalie no, I wasnt. Slight sarcastic I was. Nothing more. I am sarcastic, of how fires are getting worse, and its often peoples fault by negligance. I follow "effis" European forest fires website since 2015 or so every single year on a daily basis. Which tracks all fires live. So. Every summer I track forest fires. Mainly because I myself love the Mediterranean, and in particular Greece. And each of these nations receive heavy blows. Portugal, Greece had received heavy blows in some years since 2005. And my stance is to invest in more pre-emptive measures, and also 10x harder and longer punishments for arson.

[@bridgetcarrancho846]

Why don't you start a volunteer drone team that can be used to assist firefighters determine where fires are. They can also be used for finding lost hikers etc.

[@alfredoalmeida6754]

A floresta é património mundial, é um dever de Portugal defende la. Mas as árvores não votam....🤔

[@Só_lixo_aqui]

So who started this fire? I was hearing that it was derived from fireworks and that the person of interest had already taken off to some country where they reside! Is this true? So it must of been some immigrant…. Just curious.

[@DiogoF.]

We are governed by incredibly incompetent people; the Spanish Canadairs extinguished the fire in one day, it took them 10 days to ask for help. The President of the Republic should fire Miguel Albuquerque. The devastation in Serra d'Água is heartbreaking.

[@3MundoBostil1324]

The fires are under control at this time, but remain on standby in case of any re-ignition. The Canadair are in Porto Santo on standby, but they will probably leave tomorrow, scheduled for 12pm.

[@joenandamalie]

Leaving already would be ridiculous, as we can never predict the fires.

[@AlwaysOn702]

I love this channel and the visuals have been superlative. I've donated. But I still want to say that the timing and choice to use air assets is unclear as to right thing to do for the ecology vs risk to life and property. Looks like my first comment got deleted. I understand it looked like it diminished your work but I didn't intend it that way.

[@joenandamalie]

Hey. Thanks for the donation. We don’t delete comments, but sometimes youtube holds back comments if they deem them inappropriate. Im not sure I understand your comment though. Do you mean the strategy applied during this wildfire?

[@AlwaysOn702]

@@joenandamalie yes this and all wildfires. Sometimes it's best to let a "less intense" fire that is not threatening property burn. Sometimes "prescribed burns" are lit on purpose by bombeiros and ecologists working together. In this case air assets not acting for days... could be on purpose - or just typical government "management by committee". Some cool studies out there like "usfs aerial firefighting study left many questions unanswered" and "fighting every wildfire ensures the big fires are more extreme...". Keep up the great work!!

[@AlwaysOn702]

@@joenandamalie filtered again; certain keywords I think. Yes, this and all wildfires. Sometimes it's best to let a "less intense" fire that is not threatening property burn. Sometimes "prescribed burns" are lit on purpose by bombeiros and ecologists working together. In this case air assets not acting for days... could be on purpose - or just typical government "management by committee". Some cool studies out there about these topics which it's not letting me post such as the effectiveness of different air assets. Keep up the great work!

[@SifuSergioChannel]

❤

[@joenandamalie]

❤🥋

[@AlsinoFerreira]

😎

[@ricardo_Abonado]

You don't have it because fiscal evasion is the biggest economy in certain countries...

[@miguelmelchior986]

Voilà.

[@13rjdat11]

"made in portugal"...

[@pauloramos7593]

Unfortunately, in Portugal, watching aircraft performing that task time and time again is quite common. Canadairs are a very expensive and scarce resource no chance to have a pair of them standing there waiting for a fire. to happen.You’ve talked about a major problem: Eucalyptus!!! They are a pest. Most species of Eucalyptus are native to Australia, but in Portugal they have been replacing pine trees everywhere!! They grow faster, so it’s a question of sheer profit!!! I think this is a serious environmental crime…

[@miguelcosta2417]

The question is not why you don’t have those type of planes in Madeira. The question is why did it take so long for them to arrive.

[@module79l28]

The fire would be dominated exactly the way it ended up being dominated even if the planes didn't come because they did nothing to put out the fires, it was the increase in humidity levels and the rain that helped the firefighters control it. What the planes did was the same as trying to put out a fire on the ground with a glass of water dumped from the sixth floor of a building.

[@rikmarx107]

You dont have waterplanes , because Madeira politics is corrupted by ONE madeiran family that are very financially powerfull . I wont mention their family name ....

[@joenandamalie]

No matter what the explanation is, I can't imagine anyone has an interest in Madeira Island being burnt down hence there is no good reason why we don't have the tools to combat fires effectively.

[@j0s3mar9ues]

@@joenandamalieI guess this was done on purpose and most likely we will now see new developments on the horizon on the burned out areas.

[@tomatomi8041]

José Berardo.

[@TheAnd1roid]

Lol Why would he by interested in such a thing, when he is sitting in prison even? I think he meant sousas right ​@@tomatomi8041

[@peeterl.2016]

Wildfires of this magnitude are very rare in Madeira. However, waterplanes are very expensive, expensive to maintain, also expensive to train the crew and ensure their qualifications each year. Not many countries in europe have these.

[@allon33]

#wearethenewsnow

[@joenandamalie]

🎉🎉🎉

[@luismiguellunapais1184]

Words from the president of the regional government: "Os fogos com esta complexidade não se combatem nem ‘achismos’, nem com voluntarismos, nem de improviso. Combatem-se com conhecimento técnico, do terreno, com experiência, com rigor técnico, com sentido de planeamento e com uso rigoroso dos meios que temos aos dispor"

[@miguelmelchior986]

E quem não concordar é expulso.. A Madeira ardeu o ano passado e voltou a arder este ano, e conseguiu acabar com o fogo ao fim de 10 dias com a ajuda de Espanha. Desculpa a liberdade de escrever estas coisas.., eu sei que na ilha nao pode haver contraditório.

[@luismiguellunapais1184]

​@@miguelmelchior986é uma resposta ao autor destes videos que não percebendo nada do que se estava a passar, se fartou de criticar a actuação das autoridades na ilha com "achismos" e associando-se a um duvidoso grupo de voluntários que estavam mais interessados em dinheiro do que outra coisa qualquer. Foi por isso que trascrevi o texto do Presidente, serve como uma luva. O autor mentiu a protecção civil com o intuito de obter imagens dos fogos sendo que, quanto mais visualizações tiver, mais ganha.

[@miguelmelchior986]

@@luismiguellunapais1184 És servente do regime da ilha?

[@luismiguellunapais1184]

​@@miguelmelchior986😂😂😂 nem sequer lá moro, com alguma pena confesso. Uma pessoa que concorda com o que outra escreve não é servente de coisa nenhuma agora não concordo em nada é que um simples youtuber ponha em causa as instituições, nomeadamente os bombeiros e a protecção civil. Se ele guardasse as opiniões para os amiguinhos, não tinha nada a ver com isso, agora falar em público a dizer mal do que não percebe colocando os bombeiros e a protecção civil em cheque, é outra conversa. Eu não sirvo ninguém, sei pensar por mim.

[@raymondeinspiration1106]

What I don't understand why Christiano Ronaldo who is millionaire help his island with more helicopter for throw water and helps to control the fire??

[@joseoliveira3691]

You guys deserve a metal from the Madeira. government

[@peeterl.2016]

A medal for what? For spreading bullsh*t?