The district command of GNR in Leiria stated that “the worst is over.”
The Complementary Itinerary No. 8 (IC8) and the National Road No. 2 (EN2) have reopened, the former at 23:23 and the latter about two hours earlier, although the EN350 remains closed between the Outão junction and Pedrógão Grande.
The same source mentioned that villages Marroquil, Torneira, Romão, Agria, and Sobreiro are now “safe,” allowing evacuated residents, who had been moved to Derreada Cimeira, to potentially return soon.
However, “no return order has been issued” yet.
Eight years ago, the Pedrógão wildfires resulted in 66 fatalities.
The number of personnel and resources deployed to combat this fire roughly equals the combined resources previously used to fight two fires, confirmed a source from the Leiria District Command of Relief Operations of the National Civil Protection Authority (ANPC).
“The firefight is proceeding favorably,” added the source.
The populace of Pedrógão Grande faced a return of flames today, eight years after devastating fires hit the municipality.
The fires that erupted on June 17, 2017, in Pedrógão Grande, spreading to neighboring municipalities, caused 66 deaths, injured 253 people—seven seriously—and destroyed about 500 homes and 50 businesses.
Fire reignites in Piódão on Saturday
The fire in Piódão, Castelo Branco, currently the largest active wildfire in the country, caused the closure of the A23 road between Fundão Sul and Castelo Novo and the EN18, stated a source from the GNR Territorial Command of Castelo Branco, who provided “no forecast” for when these roads might reopen.
At 02:30, 1,295 personnel and 440 ground resources remained engaged in combating this blaze, according to ANPC’s website.
This fire affecting Fundão municipality began on August 13 in Piódão, Arganil, Coimbra district, with no active fronts on Friday but reigniting on Saturday.
Over more than a week, this extensive fire also impacted other municipalities in the Coimbra district, as well as in the districts of Guarda and Castelo Branco.
As of 03:15, firefighting across the continent involved a total of 2,536 personnel and 827 ground resources, with fires in Fundão/Castelo Branco, Pedrógão Grande/Leiria, and Sabugal/Serra da Estrela utilizing over 85% of resources.
Continental Portugal has been affected by multiple large-scale rural fires since July, mainly in the North and Center regions.
Fires have resulted in four deaths, including that of a firefighter, along with various injuries, some severe, and the complete or partial destruction of primary and secondary residences, agricultural and livestock facilities, and forested areas.
Portugal has activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism, securing two Fire Boss planes, a Super Puma helicopter, and two Canadair planes.
According to provisional official data, approximately 248,000 hectares have burned in the country by August 23, with over 57,000 hectares lost in the fire starting in Arganil alone.
