Fire in Moimenta da Beira remains uncontrolled with almost 500 operatives

Speaking to Lusa by telephone, José Requeijo, second sub-regional commander of Emergency and Civil Protection of the Douro Sub-Regional Command, said that if the winds do not change direction and if work continues as it is going this afternoon, there may be good news later in the afternoon.

“The scenario is encouraging,” he said.

The Alvite fire was being fought this afternoon, at 3:00 pm, by 449 firefighters, 137 vehicles and five aircraft, according to data collected on the website of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority.

The fire that broke out on Friday put houses at risk during the early hours of the morning in the town of Paraduça and this morning in Alvite, but this afternoon there are no houses at risk and the situation “is better compared to Friday”, João Silva, member of the board of the Moimenta da Beira Fire Department, told Lusa.

According to the same source, more than a thousand meals are being distributed daily to firefighters and the general public. "We have been preparing and delivering 500 lunch meals and 500 dinner meals."

Many of the meals are sent in lunch boxes to be delivered to people fighting the flames on the front lines, adds João Silva.

"The public is helping the firefighters with water tankers, because this area has a lot of livestock and fruit farmland, and these people have water tanks," he explained, appealing for donations of drinks and energy bars to give to those fighting the flames who are getting tired.

According to the National Authority's website, there is another significant occurrence of bushfires in the Alvadia, Ribeira de Pena, Alto Tâmega and Barroso areas, being fought by 211 personnel, 67 vehicles and five aerial resources.

The increase in the state of readiness to the maximum level from 00:00 on Sunday will continue until 23:59 on the 12th, with a view to reinforcing the pre-positioning of resources in view of the forecast of “significant complexity” in weather conditions during that period, explained the national commander of ANEPC.