At present, all fires are under control and extinguished, except for a single fire hotspot in Vale de Penela, Riodades, which is somewhat inaccessible. However, two bulldozers and firefighters are on site creating a perimeter to prevent further spread, stated Manuel Cordeiro at 12:15 PM.
The mayor of São João da Pesqueira, located in the northern part of the Viseu district, noted that the situation is much improved today and expressed hope that there will not be significant issues since there is no more fuel to burn, as everything has already been consumed.
“We cannot declare it over, but the outlook is positive, with the exception of Riodades,” he emphasized.
Manuel Cordeiro mentioned that it is not yet possible to assess the damage caused over the past two days by the fires. However, he noted that, so far, no houses or built structures have been recorded as burnt.
“There is significant destruction of vegetation and agricultural areas such as olive groves, chestnut orchards, and vineyards, resulting in considerable agricultural sector damage. I am aware that a tractor was burned in an agricultural area, but I have limited information,” he acknowledged.
Having been chiefly concerned with Paredes on Friday, Manuel Cordeiro, who experienced a power outage for nearly 15 hours, noted that while power has been restored, communication remains challenging.
In Paredes, flames neared residential areas but did not consume any houses, thanks to the efforts of residents and firefighters using all available means to protect the homes.
“Everything surrounding the homes was burned, but fortunately, there was no damage to the houses,” he noted.
The mayor also reported occasional power outages in various localities, which were quickly resolved. Some water pipelines were damaged, leading to reduced water pressure in certain areas, but no critical issues.
“We are experiencing a network water shortage in the Pereiros parish, but Águas do Norte is addressing the issue since it pertains to a main supply network problem,” he stated.
This fire, originating from two separate incidents in Sátão (Viseu district) and Trancoso (Guarda district) on the early morning of Friday, merged into a single fire affecting 11 municipalities across these districts.
The affected municipalities include Sátão, Sernancelhe, Moimenta da Beira, Penedono, and São João da Pesqueira (Viseu district); Aguiar da Beira, Trancoso, Fornos de Algodres, Mêda, Celorico da Beira, and Vila Nova de Foz Coa (Guarda district).
The Vila Boa fire in Ferreira de Aves parish, Sátão, Viseu district, was reported at 1:03 AM on Wednesday, the 13th, and reached the municipalities of Sernancelhe (also in Viseu district) and Aguiar da Beira (Guarda district) the same day.
As of 12:30 PM, 910 personnel, supported by 297 vehicles and three aircraft, were battling this blaze, according to the official page of the National Authority of Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC).
The Freches fire in the municipality of Trancoso, Guarda district, was reported on Saturday, the 9th, at 5:21 PM.
At 12:30 PM, 453 personnel, supported by 149 vehicles, were engaged in fighting this fire, according to the ANEPC’s official page.
