Firefighters are repositioning resources on the ground, working diligently to control the flames, according to the local mayor. He noted that strong winds have contributed to the fire’s spread.
Carlos Teles announced that a briefing on the fire would be held at 7:00 PM at the operational command post located at the Aljustrel fairgrounds in the Beja district, followed by a press conference.
“At present, I am not fully aware of the damage caused by the fire and lack sufficient information to offer a comprehensive perspective,” admitted the mayor. He mentioned that the fire came close to the Carregueiro area, where an outbuilding caught fire but was eventually contained by firefighters, preventing further threat to the community.
As previously stated by a GNR source, the mayor confirmed the closure of the Estrada Nacional 2 (EN2) between Aljustrel and the neighboring municipality of Castro Verde, particularly affecting the Carregueiro locality, along both lanes.
“I also know that an agricultural structure was burned, but I don’t have much more information at the moment,” he said, indicating that additional details would be provided during the press conference.
David Marques, the councilor responsible for Civil Protection in Castro Verde, Beja district, reported being actively involved in monitoring the progress of the fire. According to his information, the fire had not reached the municipality.
“We are uncertain of the fire’s progress, but it is known that resources are both coordinated and mobilized,” he explained, highlighting his role in coordinating with a local farmers’ association for the mobilization of agricultural machinery.
These agricultural vehicles, as noted, “play a vital role in firefighting,” and efforts were made to determine, together with the command post, the most strategic locations for deploying these resources.
The information was then communicated to the association, allowing the farmers to move the equipment to where it was most needed, he emphasized.
The fire, reported at 1:09 PM, broke out in a forested area on Monte do Cerro, in the Messejana zone of Aljustrel municipality and has required the deployment of six helicopters, as previously noted by Civil Protection.
The mayor of Aljustrel also stated that the fire primarily consumed pastures during the afternoon.
As of 7:00 PM, according to the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority’s webpage, the fire engaged 254 operational personnel, supported by 91 vehicles and four aerial units.
In the area where the EN2 is closed, GNR officers are directing motorists to alternate routes, as reported by the Beja Territorial Command.
