The president of the Arganil City Council, Luís Paulo Costa, expressed concern about the fire that broke out in Piódão, emphasizing a potential threat towards the southwest, which could affect the neighboring municipality of Pampilhosa da Serra.
“This front opened today towards the locality of Porto Castanheiro [near the Arganil section of the Rally of Portugal]. With the anticipated rotation and intensification of the wind, this could become a significant challenge,” the mayor stated.
Throughout the day, the fire fronts in Arganil advanced north and northwest towards Oliveira do Hospital and northeast into the Seia municipality, in the Guarda district, driven by strong winds and the steep slopes of the Serra do Açor.
Luís Paulo Costa cautioned that much active fire remains in the municipality: “We are not at all at ease yet,” he acknowledged.
Another concerning situation for the mayor involves a front that moved northwest with intensity, affecting the villages of Vale do Torno and Porto Silvado in Arganil, and Gramaça in Oliveira do Hospital, without causing casualties or damage to homes.
The left flank of this front remained active by the evening on a hillside in the Pomares parish, heading towards Barroja village.
“It is sweeping that hillside, and the outcome there is unpredictable,” stressed Luís Paulo Costa.
The president of the Pomares parish council, Amândio Dinis, mentioned that Barroja is home to only two foreign residents, but due to the summer season, about a dozen people are currently in the village.
He added that the flames continued to rise up the slope, still distant from the communities of Agroal and the parish seat, Pomares, which are situated in a valley area.
In other localities within the parish, such as Sobral Magro, Sobral Gordo, and Soito da Ruiva, the situation was controlled by firefighters, although the surrounding forest was burned, he indicated.
According to the website of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), as of 22:50, the Arganil fire was being fought by 854 personnel, supported by 273 vehicles.
