Three people, two civilians and a firefighter, have lost their lives. because of the forest fires what They devastate the center and north of Portugalas reported by Civil Protection this Monday. The deceased belonged to the Aveiro district: one in Albergaria-a-Velhawhere it was found burned, and another in Sever do Vougawho suffered a heart attack.
The first deceased, a 28-year-old Brazilian, was working on the recovery of forestry machinery in the area affected by the fire. The firefighter, who suffered cardiorespiratory arrest, died early Sunday morning while resting after fighting the flames in Oliveira de Azeméisplace where the forest fire.
To face the crisis, the Portuguese country has deployed a total of 645 ground resources, 32 aerial means and more than a thousand firefighters.
Thousands of hectares devastated by forest fires
The fires in this region have especially affected the district of Aveirowhere the flames have devastated thousands of hectares of vegetation, forcing the authorities to close at least seven roads and to mobilize a large number of resources. Despite the efforts, the fire has forced the evacuation of 70 people and has left Portugal in alert situation until Tuesday due to the extreme risk of fire caused by adverse weather conditions.
The combination of high temperatures, strong winds and dry vegetation has created favorable conditions for the fire to spread rapidly.
Although the authorities have assured that the situation “is not out of control,” they have described it as “very complicated and complex”with a total of ten major active fires in the country, being that of Albergaria-a-Velha is the most worrying.
Spain, France, Italy and Greece mobilize eight amphibious aircraft
Likewise, the Portuguese Government has requested international assistance by activating the European Civil Protection Mechanism. In response, the The European Union has mobilized a total of eight amphibious aircraft to help fight the fires, including aerial means from Spain, France, Italy and Greece. These planes, known as Canadair, are designed to transport large quantities of water and combat forest fires in hard-to-reach areas.
The European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcichas confirmed on social networks the deployment of these air resources, underlining the solidarity of the European Union with Portugal in these moments of crisis. «In response to the request for help made today by Portugal to fight against the serious forest fires“We are mobilizing the deployment of firefighting aircraft through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism,” he stated.
For her part, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyenhas also highlighted the quick reaction of European countries when sending aid to Portugaldescribing the response as “pure EU solidarity.” He especially thanked Spain, France, Italy and Greece for their support, and assured that the European Union will continue to provide assistance to help local teams control the forest fires.
Climate change, behind the increase in forest fires
Portugal has had a relatively quiet summer so far on the forest fireswith a burnt surface of 10,300 hectares until the end of Augusta third of that of 2023 and seven times less than the average of the last 10 years. After the deadly fires of June and October 2017, which killed more than a hundred people, the Portuguese country multiplied its investment in prevention tenfold and doubled its budget to fight the fires. forest fires.
Experts consider that the increase in heat waves, as well as their greater duration and intensityis a consequence of climate change.