News today sees yet another wildfire in the north causing problems. This fire in Murça (Vila Real district) began yesterday, and was deemed to have ‘entered the resolution phase’ earlier this morning. But strong winds have seen to it that the fire surged back with avengeance, and is still now considered ‘active’. Over 350 firefighters are on the ground, supported by over 100 appliances and nine firefighting aircraft.
Meantime, in the same district, but in Valença, the body of a man has been found next to railway lines (the Minho railway line). GNR police are ‘investigating’. They were alerted to the body by a call from a member of the public.
At lunchtime in Lisbon, rescue services were called to the sighting of a woman in the Tejo river, near Parque das Nações. The woman was recovered, but in a “serious condition” and has been rushed to hospital. There are no details at this point on what caused her to be in the river.
Also in Lisbon, firefighters not on duty today are protesting outside parliament, where they mean to stay for the next three days. Using a coffin, which they have placed at the foot of the steps of the parliamentary building, the firefighters explain that it “symbolises what the government has been doing over the years to firefighters: little by little it is killing them”. The protesters want to push the government to award the country’s firefighters much more in terms of recognition/ salaries/ conditions. CHEGA leader André Ventura has made a point of visiting the protest to say that his party will be presenting proposals for discussion in parliament on how to improve recognition for the firefighting profession.
In Abrantes, the Army has opened an internal investigation into the “causes and circumstances” of the death of a 24-year-old soldier in the Emergency Military Support Regiment. In a statement to Lusa news agency, the Army describes its “pain and great consternation” at the young soldier’s death “which occurred early this morning”. Further details may well emerge in the news tomorrow. The army’s statement concluded: “The Portuguese Army deeply regrets this irreparable loss and extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved family, expressing solidarity with all those who shared the soldier’s life and service.”
And in the Algarve, a 14-ton sperm whale washed up on Armona Island, in Ria Formosa. The 15-metre animal was very debilitated (and very thin), and in spite of all efforts, died a few hours later. An operation involving the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests, Olhão municipality, the Ports Authority and RAAlg (the network specifically dealing with stranded sea life along the Algarve coast) will now organise the removal of the whale carcass.
