A fire broke out in the Fóia area of Monchique in the early hours of January 6 destroying nearly four hectares of shrubland and eucalyptus trees.
Firefighters suspect a short circuit at a medium voltage power pylon caused the fire, which started at 4am.
A spokesman for the firefighting brigade said: “It’s unusual to have fires at this time of the year.”
Around 50 firefighters from Portimão, Lagoa, Messines and Aljezur helped put out the flames, which were extinguished later that morning.
Meanwhile, Alentejo resident John Oliver sent us this photograph of a Bombeiros unit from Ourique extinguishing a fire beside the N123 between Ourique and Garvão in that region on January 4.
He said: “Just a suggestion that during this long period of lovely dry weather, people should still remember the danger of fires.”
