Miguel Fonseca concerned about the fatigue of the operators

The fire that broke out in Vila Real on August 2nd continues to rage unabated. This Tuesday, Miguel Fonseca, sub-regional commander of the Douro region, gave reporters an update.

Firefighters' efforts are currently focused on an active front in the Alvão Mountains, where firefighting is being conducted with aerial support, but concerns are also focused on reactivation efforts. This morning, the fire was near the villages of Cravelas, Testira, and Paredes, but, according to the official, "there is no immediate danger."

With the fire having been raging for over a week, the perimeter is “very large” and, according to Miguel Fonseca, “a very sensitive and demanding area”.

In addition to the Vila Real fire, other fires are currently causing concern, such as the one in Tabuaço, which also involves many firefighters. For Miguel Fonseca, "it's difficult to manage finite resources," expressing concern that firefighters are "subject to extreme fatigue."

When asked about the existence of injured firefighters, Miguel Fonseca confirmed that "there are reports of some minor injuries", many of them "due to fatigue and smoke inhalation".

The official also took the opportunity to note that, on Monday, around a dozen incidents were recorded, with at least half of them occurring “during the night”.

At the time of the briefing, there were 323 operational personnel on the ground, representing various forces such as the fire department, the Republican Guard, the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), and the Army, supported by 111 ground vehicles and four aircraft. Six aircraft were deployed throughout the morning.