Madeira on Fire, Friday 13 August 2010

During the afternoon we heard sirens blaring. A little later looked out of the boat towards Funchal and saw half the sky was covered by dense clouds of angry looking smoke. The forest in the hills above Funchal is on fire.


We are told that there are 2 other fires raging in the mountains to the east and west of us as well. We are not sure how close the fires will come to Funchal itself .... and today's date - Friday 13th - good support for the superstitious !!




The sun appeared as a small red orb through the smoke.


Dutch Link is beginning to be covered in black wood ash / charcoal.