The fire that began in a eucalyptus area in Alcanede rapidly spread due to strong winds, complicating containment efforts, according to Filipe Regueira, commander of the Alcanede Volunteer Firefighters.
“It was a real game of cat and mouse,” described Commander Regueira.
Throughout the night, over 400 personnel and 130 vehicles remained on-site for surveillance and firefighting, facing several reactivations between burned and unburned areas.
The operations were further complicated by a change in wind direction, noted the commander.
Significant damage included the partial destruction of a livestock farm, resulting in the deaths of dozens of animals, including piglets.
A secondary residence and multiple outbuildings were also affected, with dilapidated and old houses among the damaged structures.
The fire, which ignited around 1:00 PM on Tuesday in Vale das Caldas, resulted in five people sustaining minor injuries, including three firefighters.
Commander Regueira characterized the blaze as “the most violent in the last 10 years” in the Santarém municipality, with over 200 hectares of eucalyptus forest reportedly consumed as the fire spread quickly between Alcanede and Montejunto.
“In this part of the Santarém municipality, it was definitely the most violent in the last 10 years, at least. At the time the fire started, around 1:00 PM, it was already very hot with low humidity. We are talking about extreme conditions for firefighting,” he remarked.
The causes of the fire are currently under investigation by the GNR, with the discovery of fallen electrical wires and glass bottles at the site.
According to the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC), although the fire is considered to be concluding (extinguished but under observation), by 6:20 PM, there were still 229 personnel and 74 vehicles mobilized.
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