The wildfire remains active, with a very small area near the village of Samardã still to be controlled, as stated by the operations commander, David Lobato, in an early afternoon briefing to journalists.
He noted that 20% of the fire’s perimeter, ignited on August 2 in Sirarelhos, Vila Real, needs to be subdued. The fire extended to Mondim de Basto, was reportedly under control, but reactivated twice.
The remaining 80% is currently in the cooling and monitoring phase.
The sub-regional commander of Médio Tejo highlighted the challenging weather conditions, including high temperatures and an expected wind shift around 3 PM.
This could potentially open the fire towards the east, which is a cause of concern, hence the fire won’t be declared under resolution yet, he explained.
This mountainous area experiences erratic winds and temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius over several consecutive days.
An arduous afternoon is anticipated in the Alvão mountains due to hotspots, but resources will stay on the ground. If no reactivation occurs, the fire might enter the resolution phase by the end of the day.
In the morning, Civil Protection had initially estimated a burnt area of 5,500 hectares. However, Lobato updated this to 6,450 hectares in the Alvão mountains.
Throughout these active fire days, five personnel sustained minor injuries, and two secondary homes were affected.
David Lobato emphasized that around 390 personnel remain on site, with 102 vehicles, and two helicopters operating in shifts, ensuring continuous action in the field.
“We will not slow down,” he promised, stating that a new assessment will be conducted at nightfall for this fire, which has affected about thirty villages in the Alvão mountains.
