Latest news on Portugal fires
Portugal is currently grappling with a series of devastating wildfires that have spread across multiple districts, causing widespread destruction and forcing thousands of evacuations. The fires, which started around early August, have been fueled by a severe heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 45°C and extremely dry conditions.
In the district of Braga, the fire in Lindoso has so far left 20 people slightly injured, including one civilian, and has spread to the neighboring municipality of Terras de Bouro. Late this morning, the fire in Lindoso was considered "stabilized" by Civil Protection, with approximately 60 people evacuated for safety reasons on Thursday night from their homes in the villages of Sobredo and Paradela, having returned to their homes. The fire, which started on Saturday, is still ongoing, with a total of 677 firefighters, 223 vehicles, and 11 aircraft mobilized to fight it.
Another significant fire is burning in Penafiel, Porto district, which has occupied 197 firefighters and 60 vehicles since Tuesday. In addition, the fire that broke out on Monday in Canelas and Espiunca, Arouca, and has since spread to the municipality of Castelo de Paiva, involves 438 firefighters, 156 vehicles, and one aircraft. The blaze in Arouca has recently been resolved, but fires have spread to Penafiel where active firefighting continues.
Ponte da Barca is another area that has been severely affected by the wildfires. At least 19 people have been injured, with extensive evacuations in rural villages such as Sobredo and Paradela. Over 1,800 firefighters nationwide are engaged, with concentrated efforts in Ponte da Barca (622 firefighters) and Arouca (441 firefighters), among others.
The fires in Gomide, Vila Verde, and Moimenta da Beira are also of concern. In Gomide, a brush fire was reported at 5:35 a.m. today, with 101 firefighters, 31 vehicles, and three aircraft fighting it. In Moimenta da Beira, a fire burning in the parishes of Paradinha and Nagosa was issued an alert today at 1:43 p.m., with 118 firefighters, 18 vehicles, and three aircraft currently fighting it.
The Portuguese government has declared a state of high alert from August 3 to 7 due to the dangerous fire risk caused by ongoing exceptionally high temperatures, low humidity, and a mass of hot air from North Africa. Measures include prohibitions on forest access, burning, machinery use in rural areas, and fireworks to reduce fire risk.
The IPMA (Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere) has issued an orange warning for all districts in mainland Portugal, with the exception of Faro, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday, due to "persistent high maximum temperatures." The IPMA has also issued a maximum rural fire danger forecast for six municipalities in the Faro district: Portimão, Silves, Monchique, Loulé, São Brás de Alportel, and Tavira.
The primary cause of these widespread wildfires is the "considerably severe hot weather" combined with dry conditions and possibly the influence of climate factors that have created a prolonged heatwave, rather than a single ignition event. The IPMA expects the maximum rural fire danger situation to continue in the same regions in the coming days.
Forestry, agricultural, and livestock areas, as well as outbuildings and similar facilities, have been burned in the fires. Several people, including firefighters and civilians, were treated due to the fires, with no serious injuries reported. Much of the districts of Bragança, Guarda, and Castelo Branco are currently at maximum rural fire danger, according to the IPMA.
Despite the significant resources mobilized, the Deputy Secretary of State for Internal Administration, Paulo Simões Ribeiro, stated that firefighting resources are sufficient, but they cannot be everywhere at once due to the number of fires. The ongoing wildfires in Portugal are a stark reminder of the dangers posed by climate change and the importance of effective firefighting measures.
- Environmental scientists in Portugal are closely monitoring the ongoing wildfires, as the severe weather conditions, high temperatures, and dry conditions could point to a potential link between climate change and increased fire risk.
- In light of the ongoing wildfires and the high-alert status declared by the Portuguese government, institutions such as the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) are reiterating the importance of adhering to measures aimed at reducing fire risk, such as prohibitions on forest access and burning, to mitigate the environmental impact of these events.
