The fire, which began to show signs of containment by early evening, still posed concerns for the villages of Mós and Carviçais in the municipality of Torre de Moncorvo. “At this time, 90% of the fire perimeter is consolidated, and the Mós front will have intervention from aerial resources,” stated João Noel Afonso, the sub-regional commander of Terras de Trás-os-Montes, at 8:00 AM.
The commander emphasized the need for vigilance in the coming hours to prevent reignitions, with firefighting units remaining on site.
The blaze erupted early Friday afternoon in Poiares, within the municipality of Freixo de Espada à Cinta, located in the Douro International Natural Park, rapidly spreading to the neighboring municipalities of Mogadouro and Torre de Moncorvo, all within the Bragança district.
This fire raised significant concerns due to its three large fronts across these municipalities, compounded by adverse climatic conditions and hampered aerial operations due to smoke and dust over the past days.
More than 10,000 hectares have been consumed by the fire, according to the sub-regional commander.
At 8:30 AM, the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection’s official website reported 342 personnel on the ground, supported by 115 vehicles.
The operation also includes eight bulldozers, resources from the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), and the National Republican Guard (GNR).
Continental Portugal has been besieged by numerous rural fires since July, primarily in the North and Center regions, amid high temperatures prompting a state of alert since August 2.
The fires have resulted in two fatalities, including a firefighter, and several injuries, mostly non-serious, causing total or partial destruction to primary and secondary residences, as well as agricultural and livestock facilities and forest lands.
Portugal has activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism, which is expected to deliver two Fire Boss planes by Monday to bolster firefighting efforts.
According to provisional official figures, as of August 17, 172,000 hectares have burned in the country, exceeding the total burned area for the entire year of 2024.
