Portugal is burning. The Portuguese government asked this Monday for help from the European Union to fight against 36 simultaneous forest fires that are devastating the centre and north of the country. After activating the European Civil Protection Mechanism, the bloc announced that it was mobilising eight amphibious aircraft to contribute to the extinction efforts. In parallel, Spain, France, Italy and Greece too They will send a total of eight Canadair planes to put out the fires, which have already disappeared for the moment. One firefighter dead, 17 injuredincluding three in serious condition, and dozens of people evacuated.
The Portuguese Interior Ministry confirmed that Each country will send a pair of planes and that the Spanish media should arrive on Portuguese soil around 5:00 p.m. local time.
The Portuguese Executive declared this Sunday that alert situation due to high risk of forest fire throughout the continental territory of the country, as evidenced by the violent fires that have caused the evacuation of dozens of people and the closure of several roads.
The national commander of the Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), André Fernandes, explained this Monday during a press conference that there are no civilians among the victims of the fires, with 36 spots throughout the territory which are fought by 645 land assets, 32 air assets and more than 3,000 soldiers.
Much of the effort is concentrated in the municipality of Oliveira de Azeméis and its surroundings, in the district of Aveiro (north of the country), where a fire caused the death of a firefighter and left four others injured, three of them seriously. According to local media, The deceased officer was placed in cardiorespiratory arrest during a break in the fight against the flames.
The authorities were also forced to seven roads closed for safety reasons and motorways in the region, including the A1, A29, A25 and EN238, and have asked people to avoid these areas.
A man holds a hose as he fights a forest fire in Macinhata da Seixa, Oliveira de Azemeis.
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Montenegro cancels its agenda
Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro cancelled his Monday and Tuesday schedule to oversee coordination of the firefighting effort, his office said in a statement.
Portugal is going through difficult days due to the fires.@vonderleyenobliged. We are together.
Thanks to France (@EmmanuelMacron @MichelBarnier), towards Greece (@kmitsotakis), towards Italy (@GiorgiaMeloni) and in Spain (@sanchezcastejon) rapid and basic aid does not allow us to fight this scourge.– Luís Montenegro (@LMenegropm) September 16, 2024
He has also maintained contact with European Union leaders and European partners to “ensure the necessary international support” through the European Civil Protection Mechanism, and posted a message on his official X profile to thank for this assistance.
Portugal and Spain recorded fewer fires than usual after a rainy start to the year, but Both countries remain vulnerable to increasingly unfavourable and dry weather conditions that scientists attribute to global warming.
