Rain falling during the night helped firefighters control the fire that started yesterday morning in Sandomil, Seia municipality.
A spokesperson for the Beiras and Serra da Estrela sub-regional command of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) has confirmed that the fire was declared ‘under control’ at around 5am today.
At around 11pm last night, the same source was already describing the situation as “progressing favorably”, aided also by a drop in the intensity of the wind, and an increase in relative humidity.
Mayor of Seia, Luciano Ribeiro, has activated the municipal civil protection emergency plan – scheduled to be in effect until midnight on Monday – which allows for more resources, both public and private, to be available to serve the population.
“The idea is to be able to remain actively vigilant and to have the resources that the municipality is responsible for providing, to have them available to both the command and the population,” Ribeiro told Lusa.
Regarding possible damage, the mayor recalled that the municipality is already carrying out a survey. The fire spread through several areas, including industrial and destroyed “an abandoned house, which was no longer habitable”, as well as some agricultural outbuildings. No primary residences were affected.
The mayor also highlighted that the fire was being fought not only by the considerable resources that arrived, but “with the initiative of the population.
“It was very intense during the afternoon, it was really chaotic,” he said, referring to “strong wind, with strong gusts, often without precise direction.”
According to information available on the ANEPC (civil protection authority) website, at 5.15am today there were still 565 firefighters on the ground, supported by 176 ground resources.
CNN Portugal reported that police arrested a Brazilian man, suspected of having started the fire “after an argument with a neighbour”.
Source material: LUSA
