Fires in the municipalities of Ourén and Mafra mobilized more than 1,000 workers at 10:30 p.m. this Sunday, with active fires in the Portuguese mainland the main concern, according to civil protection.
According to information available at 10:30 p.m. on the website of the National Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC), the fire that started at 3:25 p.m. in Casal do Ribeiro, Ourén Municipality, Santarém District, resulted in the mobilization of 567 operatives. supported by 167 vehicles.
In the afternoon, the fire caused power outages, forced the evacuation of people from the river beach and was close to homes, with firefighters protecting the perimeter, according to local authorities.
The fire, which has been raging since 15:33 in Avessad, Mafra municipality, Lisbon district, had 454 firefighters on site at 22:30, supported by 133 ground resources.
Hugo Santos, commander of the Lisbon Operational Headquarters, said at 10:30 pm that the fire was coming from two active fronts, but that the fighting was proceeding favourably.
Despite acknowledging that weather conditions are unfavorable due to high temperatures, the official said in a statement to CNN Portugal that the goal is to control the fire during the night and ensure there is no reactivation afterwards.
Also in the Lisbon area, in Bairro, municipality of Alenquer, 110 operational staff and 35 ground facilities were involved in the fire that started at 15:41.
The fire in Sancha, Amarante municipality, Porto district, is also on the list of the most alarming fires, with 107 firefighters and 30 land plots involved, according to civil protection.
Porto’s District Command for Relief Operations (CDOS) explained at the end of the day that the wildfire had two active fronts, but infrastructure was not at risk.
A total of 18 active dwellings on the Portuguese mainland had 1,344 active dwellings on the ground at 22:30, supported by 388 vehicles.
At 22:30, 784 operating and 221 land assets were in the process of consolidation or post-operational operations.
The Minister of the Interior said this Sunday that a special high alert regime will come into force in the areas of Vila Real, Bragança, Guarda and Viseu on Tuesday, announcing increased inspections by the GNR and the armed forces.
Speaking to reporters at the end of a videoconference meeting with representatives of other government areas to assess weather conditions and fire risk, José Luis Carneiro said that it was decided to “keep the level of risk and danger under conditions in what has been done until today [domingo]”, the re-evaluation is already scheduled for Wednesday.
According to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA), about 120 municipalities, located mainly in the north and center of the country, posed the highest fire risk in rural areas this Sunday.
According to IPMA, most municipalities in the north and center were at maximum fire risk, the Algarve was generally at very high risk, and almost all of the Alentejo was at high fire risk.
Rural fire risk will remain at its highest fire risk level in the north and central part of the continent until at least Thursday, IPMA predicts.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
