A total of 303 personnel, supported by 104 vehicles, were engaged in tackling a blaze, according to the Civil Protection and Emergency Authority (ANEPC) website at 9:30 PM.
The seven aerial resources that had been involved in firefighting efforts withdrew as night fell.
The alert for this fire burning in the Vale da Eira area, in Ermidas-Sado, was issued at 4:42 PM, as stated by a source from the Alentejo Litoral Emergency and Civil Protection Sub-regional Command.
During the afternoon, Tiago Bugio, the sub-regional emergency and civil protection commander for Alentejo Litoral, explained that the flames were affecting an area of eucalyptus, pine forest, and scrubland.
The commander mentioned that the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) had forecast dry thunderstorms for the area, and prior to the blaze, there were reports of thunder being heard.
Owing to the fire, vehicular traffic on the Complementary Itinerary 1 (IC1) continues to be blocked in both directions since 5:00 PM, as confirmed by a GNR source.
A source from the Setúbal Territorial Command of the GNR stated at 9:30 PM that the road closure on the IC1 remains in effect.
In the late afternoon, the Alentejo Litoral Emergency and Civil Protection Sub-Regional Command noted that despite the increase in resources, no homes or people were threatened by the fire.
Attempts to contact the sub-regional commander again were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, another significant fire in the Alentejo region, which broke out this afternoon near Vila Alva, in the municipality of Cuba, Beja district, also saw an increase in firefighting personnel, based on the ANEPC website.
The rural fire, initially combated by 100 operatives supported by one aerial unit at 8:00 PM, escalated to involve 131 personnel and 45 vehicles by 9:54 PM, with no aerial resources, as indicated on the site.
The alert for this incident was raised at 5:21 PM, with fire consuming an area of scrub, pasture, holm oaks, and cork oaks, remarked a Civil Protection source, emphasizing there are no injuries or homes at risk.
