The forest fires that have been raging in Portugal since Sunday have already destroyed an area of natural land twice the size of Lake Constance. After around four days, a total of 106,000 hectares (1,060 square kilometers) have been affected by the flames, reported the state news agency Lusa, citing figures from the European monitoring system Copernicus.
The regions of Aveiro, Porto and Viseu in the north and centre of the country were particularly affected. According to the latest official report from the Portuguese Civil Protection Service (ANEPC), there were 5 fatalities (4 firefighters and one civilian) and 59 injured, 10 of them seriously. On Tuesday, 7 deaths were reported. Hundreds of people had to be brought to safety in the past few days, and most – except for around 60 – have now been able to return to their homes.
There is no all-clear in sight
According to civil protection, 23 large and 21 medium-sized fires were still active in the afternoon. The flames were fought by a total of more than 3,000 emergency personnel, supported by almost 1,000 ground-based aircraft and 19 firefighting aircraft and helicopters. The firefighting work was made more difficult by the terrain, which was in some places difficult to access, and by strong winds, it was said. “The next 48 hours will be complicated,” ANEPC boss André Fernandes warned journalists.
The operation against the fires was supported by eight aircraft that the EU partners Spain, Greece, Italy and France had already sent on Monday. On Wednesday, Spain sent 248 members and 82 vehicles of the Military Emergency Aid Unit (UME) to the neighboring country, the government in Madrid announced.
Several motorways and country roads in the popular holiday destination remained partially closed on Wednesday. Air, rail and long-distance bus traffic were severely disrupted. Smoke darkened the sky over several communities. The flames engulfed dozens of buildings and countless vehicles. Citizens were asked to stay at home and use as little water as possible. The forest fire alarm due to unfavorable weather conditions remains in effect until Thursday evening.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240918-930-236550/1
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