At 6:30 p.m., an official source from the municipality of Oliveira do Hospital, in the district of Coimbra, reported that one of the most problematic and concerning fronts, based on information from the municipal Civil Protection, is burning in the Alva River valley, within the territory of the Union of Parishes of Penalva do Alva and São Sebastião da Feira.
The fire has affected a total of eight parishes, all located in the southern part of the municipality, some of which are on the banks of the Alva River.
The various fire fronts, which are not continuous but cover an area about 12 kilometers wide, in a straight line, have been spreading uphill and are visibly approaching the city.
“There is a danger of repeating what happened in 2017,” a warning echoed in the past 24 hours by municipal officials in Oliveira do Hospital.
The fire has led to the evacuation of some tourist developments in the municipality, as well as the cancellation of reservations, particularly at Ponte das Três Entradas, where the Alvoco and Alva rivers converge, affecting a fully booked four-star hotel, as well as another unit in Vila Pouca da Beira, which the flames passed through without causing damage.
On-site reporting by Lusa observed destruction caused by the fire in rural and forest lands along five kilometers of road on the riverbanks between Vila Cova de Alva (Arganil) and Avô (Oliveira do Hospital).
“The fire is advancing at great speed and the situation is extremely concerning,” summarized the municipal source.
By 7:00 p.m., 1,049 firefighters, supported by 343 vehicles and eight aerial means, were battling the flames in the Arganil fire, which, in addition to Oliveira do Hospital, also spread to the municipalities of Pampilhosa da Serra and Seia, the latter already in the district of Guarda.
