Keystone-SDA
Hundreds of firefighters remained mobilized Wednesday morning in Portugal to fight several forest fires that have been raging for several days in the north and the center of the country, despite a lull observed Wednesday morning, according to civil protection.
(Keystone-ATS) Some 1500 firefighters continued to fight four major fires in the north and the center of the country, but hundreds of others remained mobilized on fires “during resolution not presenting a risk of spread”, according to the latest assessment of civil protection services.
In the north of the country, the brazer of Ponte Da Barca, which has been raging since Saturday evening in the Peneda-Geres National Park (North), in a steep area, remained active.
Also in the North, the fire of Arouca, launched on Monday afternoon, mobilized the most means. Some 750 firefighters, helped by 260 vehicles, were still trying to overcome this home.
Faced with the progress of the flames, the inhabitants of a village near Melres (North) had a trying night.
“It’s terrible! “Said Maria Da Conceiçao, 64, to AFP. “Last year it had already burned on the other side, it was madness … and now here”.
“The main cause of this problem is the lack of maintenance and cleaning of the land,” deplored Ana Maria Ferreira, 43, deplored.
Other important fires near Santarem, Penamacor and Nisa, in the center of the country, were under control overnight, according to the National Civil Protection Authority.
Discomfort weather Wednesday
On Wednesday, however, promised to be difficult due to unfavorable weather conditions, with sustained winds and high temperatures up to 40 ° C in the center.
Almost all of the territory was on alert, due to a “maximum, very high or high” fire risk, according to forecasts from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA).
Faced with these conditions, Portugal had decided at the start of the week to strengthen its system for combating forest fires.
“The whole of our system is operational to intervene as quickly as possible,” said Prime Minister Luis Montenegro on Tuesday.
Portugal is faced each summer with destructive fires. Climate change increases the frequency and intensity of droughts and fires around the world.