A fire ignited at 2:58 PM on Wednesday in Cinco Vilas, Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, progressing along the Côa River to the municipalities of Almeida and Pinhel.
According to the online page of the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC), 207 personnel supported by 69 land vehicles remained at the site as of 8:00 PM today.
This fire left a firefighter from the Pinhel brigade seriously injured on Thursday when the tank truck he was driving was engulfed by flames in Valverde, within the Almeida municipality.
The 45-year-old volunteer suffered severe burns and was airlifted by the National Institute of Medical Emergencies helicopter to Coimbra Hospitals.
Mainland Portugal has been afflicted by numerous large-scale rural fires since July, predominantly in the North and Center regions.
The fires have resulted in three deaths, including one firefighter, and several injuries, some severe. They have also completely or partially destroyed primary and secondary residences, farming and livestock operations, and forested areas.
Portugal activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism, under which it now has two Fire Boss planes and one Super Puma helicopter, with two more Canadair planes expected to arrive today.
Provisional official data indicates that by August 21, 234,000 hectares had burned across the country, with over 53,000 hectares lost in the fire that began in Arganil.
