Following the fires in the São Brás de Alportel area, local residents decided to meet and work out how to help those whose homes and livelihoods had been destroyed and try to find a serious political strategy to aid the recovery of the area. More than 30 people from 15 different associations attended the meeting, which was held in the offices of the In Loco Association. After hearing the initial estimates that around 3, 500 to 4,000 hectares of land had been burnt, the participants decided unanimously to open a bank account under the name ‘Por uma Serra Viva’ (for a living serra). Donations can be made to account number 0072/009780/030 at the Caixa Geral de Depósitos bank.
The participants made a formal statement of their solidarity with all people affected by the fires, particularly those living in the Serra do Caldeirão area and agreed to form two groups – one to help with social problems and the other to consider how to speed the recovery of the forests, mountains and creeks affected by the fires.
