According to an official source from this municipality in the district of Aveiro and the Porto Metropolitan Area, the contract carried out to date was awarded for around 211,700 euros and covered a total of 860 metres of path, of which 260 were for three sections of regular wooden flooring and 600 were for three sections of stairs.

The project also involved replacing handrails and cleaning other elements of the route affected by the flames, such as orientation signs and signs about local biodiversity.

The intervention is still ongoing, whereby small works and repairs are being carried out on the structure, in order to “completely conclude the reconstruction of the burnt section by the end of April”.

For the local authority, however, the priority was to reopen the structure to the public in its entirety.

“The Paiva Walkways are one of the most important local tourist infrastructures, so it is with great satisfaction that we are able to have the two entrances to the route up and running in time for Easter, which is one of the busiest times of year in our region,” he said.

At the end of September, Arouca City Council revealed that the fire that consumed almost 20% of the municipality between the 17th and 19th of that month caused at least 5.3 million euros in losses, and of these, 350 thousand were related to the Paiva Walkways alone.

The fire that broke out on 17 September in Arouca spread from the neighboring municipality of Castro Daire, had several active fronts simultaneously, and, until it was declared extinguished two days later, involved the simultaneous work of more than 230 firefighters and other operatives.