New fires continue to break out: latest ‘main concern’ in Vila Real
Sunday sees the long-awaited news that the wildfire that has been running firefighters ragged for the last week in Ponte da Barca has finally been ‘dominated’. This means ‘boots on the ground’ can be slowly reduced as hot-spots are downgraded. It will take time (there are still in excess of 500 firefighters in the various areas affected, but now they are only being supported by one aerial resource).
Elsewhere, fires are still concentrated in the north and centre, albeit there appear to be less of them at midday today.
The fire causing the greatest concern is in the municipality of Vila Real. It began in Sirarelhos, and spread rapidly to Gontães, ripping through pine forests of the Alvão mountains. As we wrote this text, the villages themselves did not appear to be at risk.
Local mayor Alexandre Favaios told journalists in Gontães that fire combat is “very difficult” because of the “significant forest area… so a word of gratitude to the many men and women who worked selflessly (through the) night to ensure that everything, at least until now, has gone well.”
The Sirarelhos fire is yet another one that started, inexplicably, at night: at a quarter to midnight, suggesting (again) that this will have been arson.
Vila Real has been visited by fires generally: another fire in the Arrabães (Torgueda) area is, according to the mayor, in the “consolidation phase and does not pose a great danger”.
A third also remains active, which started in São Cibrão on Saturday, but spread to Sabrosa, where it developed with greater intensity and concern.
Said mayor Favaios: “The needs are many, we would all like to have many more resources on the ground, but from this perspective of solidarity, we must try to understand what constitutes the most thoughtful management of these resources.”
Mainland Portugal is in a state of alert until midnight on Thursday, with various prohibitions in place to try to reduce the chances of accidental fires breaking out.
Arson, however, is a perennial scourge in this country – as well as a practice that is very difficult to control.
As this text went up online, Lusa reported that “strong winds” were pushing the fire in the pine forests towards the village of Vila Cova, where firefighters are already “positioned to protect homes”
“There was very rapid spread, influenced by the strong winds. Resources are currently positioned to protect homes near the village. We will monitor the situation as it evolves,” Alexandre Favaios told the state news agency.
The mayor added that these winds are making combat doubly difficult. Some residents have been asked, as a precaution, to leave houses closest to the forest area.
Source material: Lusa
