The local mayor, Luís Saraiva Garcia, who was at the scene assisting residents, stated that the fire reached a warehouse storing “numerous rolls of straw, hay, and cereal.” He noted that the farming equipment was successfully removed from the site.
He mentioned that the cow stable was not affected, but the feed for the animals was completely destroyed, highlighting this as the most severe incident in his parish, due to the fire that broke out at 1:20 p.m. today in Santo António de Monforte, approximately 10 kilometers away.
“The problem now will be what to feed the animals,” he emphasized, pointing out that the owner of the dairy farm, aged 52, faces a difficult situation.
However, he added that areas of chestnut groves, agricultural fields, and pastures were also impacted. The community united to help extinguish the flames, and he regretted that firefighters delayed action because they were “waiting for orders.”
By 10:00 p.m., according to Luís Saraiva Garcia, the situation “was calmer near Bobadela.”
During the afternoon and early evening, strong winds and fire projections complicated the efforts of the teams on the ground.
The sub-regional commander of Alto Tâmega and Barroso, Artur Mota, stated at the same hour that the fire had “two sectors succumbing to the resources and another burning with some intensity,” noting the situation was “more favorable,” with the wind having “significantly reduced its intensity.”
He also highlighted the increase in humidity overnight, which might help in controlling the fire.
According to the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) website, by 10:20 p.m., 250 personnel and 81 vehicles were mobilized for this incident in Chaves, located in the northern part of Vila Real district.
