On Tuesday, July 29th, nearly 2,700 firefighters in Portugal worked tirelessly to combat raging forest fires that have engulfed various parts of the country. The nation is on high alert as wildfires have spread across almost the entire territory.
According to reports from Agence France-Presse, there have been a total of 17 major fires breaking out nationwide, with the central and northern regions being the most severely affected. Around 750 firefighters are currently trying to bring the blaze under control in the mountainous area of Arouca in central Portugal.
Mario Silvestre, the director of Portugal’s National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority, stated during a press conference, “This is the fire we are currently directing all our efforts towards.”
In addition, hundreds of firefighters are battling wildfires near the central town of Penamacor and in the mountainous areas near the northern border town of Ponte da Barca.
Officials from civil protection stated that a total of 26 firefighting aircraft are carrying out missions in the sky. Approximately 20 people have been treated for minor injuries, including 14 firefighters.
Authorities have expressed concerns that the fire situation may worsen in the coming days due to high temperatures. The heatwave is expected to contribute to further deterioration of the wildfires.