Fires: Four fires raise more concerns, Arganil mobilizes more resources

The four fires that are causing the most concern for authorities are mobilizing two-thirds of the resources on the ground nationwide, with Arganil having the most personnel and vehicles, according to Civil Protection.

According to the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), the Arganil (Coimbra) fire situation is "still very unfavorable," with several active fronts, "at least six work sectors," and not many areas yet consolidated. This fire is "still very far from being contained."

This fire, at 9:40 am, mobilized more than 900 firefighters, supported by 301 vehicles and five aerial resources.

In addition to the Arganil fire, the other three that raise the greatest concerns are those in Sátão and Cinfães (Viseu) and Trancoso (Guarda), the latter being the one with a “least unfavorable” situation, according to civil protection.

ANEPC explained that the Trancoso fire already has “large areas under resolution”, “with aftermath and consolidation work and other surveillance work”.

At 9:40 am, this fire was being fought by 460 personnel, supported by 146 vehicles and two aircraft.

Also in an unfavorable situation is the fire in the municipality of Sátão, in Viseu, which, despite also having some areas already in the aftermath, has sectors that "are still under construction and others where the fire is still developing intensely."

At the scene, at 9:40 am, there were 447 firefighters, supported by 142 vehicles and four aerial resources.

The Cinfães fire still has two active fronts “burning with medium intensity” and with “some villages being affected”.

According to civil protection, this is an area with difficult access by land transport.

There are 111 personnel on site, supported by 29 vehicles and three aircraft.

When asked if any villages were at risk of being evacuated, the same source stressed that these fires "are extremely dynamic" and that the situation could change at any time, adding that they did not have detailed and accurate information at the moment and referred it to local command posts.

“In areas where there are villages surrounding these fires, there is always the possibility [of evacuation] and, at the command post, the possibility of preventively carrying out evacuations or moving these people is always evaluated,” he said.

In total, 2,940 firefighters are on the ground fighting fires in mainland Portugal, supported by 940 vehicles and 17 aerial resources.

Portugal has been on alert due to the risk of rural fires since August 2nd and this year 63,247 hectares of forest areas have already burned, half of which in the last three weeks, and 5,963 fires have broken out, the majority in the North and Central regions.