At least 226 personnel were deployed to tackle the fires in Arganil, located in the district of Coimbra, after a blaze broke out early on Thursday afternoon.
The alert was issued at 14:22, and according to the Sub-regional Command of Emergency and Civil Protection of the Coimbra Region, by around 16:00 the fire was already under control.
Approximately 1.5 hours after the fire started, seven aerial means were still engaged in firefighting efforts.
According to the same source, the fire did not threaten any homes, occurring in a forest area, and there are no reports of injuries—neither among the firefighters combating the blaze nor civilians.
Portugal, Reinforcement, and Firefighting Efforts
On Tuesday, the rural firefighting force was boosted to reach its maximum capacity, now permanently deploying 11,161 personnel and 69 aerial resources.
As per the National Operational Directive, which sets the Special Device for Combating Rural Fires (DECIR) for this year, the resources have been reinforced for the third time this year, now under the ‘reinforced – Delta level,’ effective until September 30.
On Thursday, the European Union announced that nearly 650 firefighters are “strategically positioned in high-risk locations in France, Greece, Portugal, and Spain,” increasing the “number of firefighters in each country.”
About 650 firefighters from 14 European Union (EU) countries are prepared to combat the expected fires in the coming months in the most sensitive regions of Portugal, Spain, Greece, and France, the European Commission revealed today.
Lusa | 11:49 – 03/07/2025
The European Commission highlighted the support provided by Bulgarian firefighters in battling the fires in Halkidiki, Greece, this week.
Under the European Civil Protection Mechanism, 22 aircraft and four helicopters are also available for firefighting.
Any member state can request assistance through the European Civil Protection Mechanism.
