Multitudes of firefighters persisted in battling numerous forest blazes in Portugal on a Tuesday.
In Portugal, numerous firefighters battled numerous wildfires on Tuesday, totaling around 3,700. By Monday evening, the three most intense blazes in the Aveiro region in northern Portugal had scorched approximately 10,000 hectares of land, equivalent to the total area burned during the entire summer. Tragically, three lives have been lost, including a firefighter.
Nationwide, around 50 fires were being fought by over 3,700 firefighters, along with around 20 water-dropping aircraft and helicopters. The fight against the fires was made challenging due to strong winds and high temperatures.
The emergency declaration made on Saturday due to the extreme fire risk in numerous parts of the country was extended until Thursday evening. The incoming days were forecasted to be "extremely tough," warned Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, who cancelled all his Tuesday appointments.
In the town of Albergaria-a-Velha, a 28-year-old Brazillian working for a forestry company met his unfortunate end after being engulfed by flames while attempting to salvage equipment from the fire. Another individual passed away from a heart attack. On Sunday, a firefighter sadly succumbed to an unexpected demise during a break in an operation against a fire near Oliveira de Azeméis, as confirmed by the government.
Since the weekend, the Portuguese authorities have reported at least 40 injuries, including 33 firefighters.
Quite remarkably, this year's summer was comparatively mild for Portugal, a country often frequented by wildfires: By the end of August, only 10,300 hectares had been burned, less than a third of the amount burned last year and less than a seventh of the average during the past decade.
Firefighting efforts continued vigorously on Wednesday, following the intense battles on Tuesday. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, who cancelled his Tuesday appointments due to the emergency, extended his condolences to the families of the lost lives.
