“The fire is already under control. We have teams deployed for surveillance. During the night, we took actions that allowed us to slow down the fire,” stated Rui Sampaio.
The mayor hopes, barring any extraordinary events, that the situation will be completely resolved, but the teams remain vigilant and do not let their guard down.
The only area where the fire is “progressing” is near Aigra Nova, but it “does not pose a concern.”
The Municipality of Góis, in the district of Coimbra, has set up a logistical base at the Casa da Cultura, offering social and psychological support to affected residents.
According to Rui Sampaio, no villages have been affected by the fire, but as a precaution, some residents chose to spend the night there.
This fire, which began on Thursday in the municipality of Lousã, in the same district, spread to Góis on Friday, prompting the municipality to activate the Municipal Emergency and Civil Protection Plan.
As of 3:20 PM today, according to the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection website, the fire in the Serra da Lousã was being fought by 488 personnel, supported by 155 vehicles and five aerial units.
Continental Portugal has been affected by multiple rural fires since July, particularly in the North and Center regions, in the context of high temperatures that have led to the declaration of a state of alert, which remains in effect until today.
The fires have resulted in one death and several injuries, mostly minor, and have destroyed homes, both primary and secondary, as well as agricultural and livestock operations and forested areas.
Portugal has activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism, under which two Fire Boss aircraft are expected to arrive on Monday to bolster firefighting efforts.
According to provisional official data, by August 16, fires have consumed 139,000 hectares in the country, 17 times more than during the same period in 2024. Nearly half of this area was consumed in just two days this week.
Forest fires have consumed 139,000 hectares up to today, half of which occurred in just two days, representing 17 times more than the area burned in the same period last year, according to provisional data from the ICNF.
Lusa | 11:54 – 16/08/2025
