“As temperatures have dropped, the wind is no longer blowing with the intensity of recent days, and the aerial support did a spectacular job this morning,” stated Vítor Proença, mayor of Sabugal, to the Lusa agency.
The mayor refrained from predicting when the fires would be resolved.
“I can’t say the situation is resolved, but it’s more or less under control,” he noted.
By early this afternoon, two active fronts were identified, from Sortelha to Casteleiro in the southern part of this border municipality in the Guarda district and from Badamalos to Miuzela in the north.
“If weather conditions remain unchanged, it is expected that these two fires may enter resolution phase still today,” he admitted.
Vítor Proença also mentioned to the Lusa agency the possibility of requesting the government to declare a state of public calamity due to the damage caused by the fire, which has been relentless to the residents of Sabugal since Friday.
“There are many damages; we will begin assessing them as soon as the situation is resolved. Requesting a state of public calamity is an option on the table, as our farmers and livestock breeders have lost a lot.”
According to the mayor of Sabugal, everything around the villages on the borders of the municipalities of Guarda, Almeida, and Belmonte [district of Castelo Branco] has burned.
Vítor Proença was referring to pastures, forages, hay, oak groves, chestnut groves, agricultural lands, equipment, barns, and warehouses supporting agriculture.
“Fortunately, there have been no casualties or injuries, and in terms of buildings, there are records of several second homes that burned, but none that were primary residences,” stated the mayor.
The fire affecting the municipality of Sabugal since Friday began at 2:41 PM in Aldeia de Santo António.
According to the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) website, as of 4:30 PM today, 370 personnel, 94 vehicles, and two aerial means were on site.
