Between the wind and the heat, forest fires are thriving in Portugal. The entire region is on alert due to high temperatures. A thousand firefighters were deployed early Monday afternoon in the vicinity of Ourem (central) and Odemira (south), supported by 12 aircraft, according to a report issued by the National Civil Protection Authority on its website.
In Odemira, near the country's southwestern coast, a forest fire that prompted temporary evacuations on Sunday continued to advance, fanned by winds, civil protection commander Jose Ribeiro told local media. This fire, which broke out on Saturday, has so far caused nine people to suffer minor injuries among firefighters. The Orem Center mobilized more than 300 specialists, with the assistance of seven air assets.
It is expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius
Civil Protection Commander Jorge Gama explained: “We have seen some reactivations, but the situation is developing positively.” With temperatures expected to exceed 40 degrees in many central and southern regions, the country is currently on alert due to a “very high or maximum” fire risk across the region.
This weekend, a major fire broke out on Friday in the town of Castelo Branco (central), destroying about 7,000 hectares, according to a preliminary estimate from the authorities. But Interior Minister José Luis Carneiro stressed that “the system currently in place has been able to deal with different situations.”
