One of the two aircraft assisting in fighting the flames in Gondomar made an emergency landing on the Douro River this Thursday due to a mechanical failure.
The report stated that there were no injuries recorded.
The fire originated in Penafiel on Tuesday and spread to Gondomar. Currently, there are three active fronts, with resources being repositioned to combat fires in the villages of Vilarinho and Moreira, according to the fire commander, Joel Castro.
In an update on the fire that started in Capela and spread to Melres, the firefighter stated that as of 3:00 PM, there were three fronts: one in Penafiel and two in Gondomar.
Joel Castro added that the flames have already consumed “a considerable area” of brushland, noting that resources are being repositioned on site to respond to the advancing flames, which remain close to the villages of Vilarinho and Moreira.
On the ground, according to the firefighter, there were 215 personnel and 65 vehicles during the briefing.
During the morning, authorities advised the population of Moreira to evacuate. When questioned about this evacuation order, the commander explained it was done as a precaution, not disclosing whether the population complied or how many people were evacuated.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Gondomar, Luís Filipe Araújo, announced the imminent arrival of aerial resources in Melres, emphasizing their importance as ground crews are “under strain.”
The alert for this fire, which started in the parish of Capela in Penafiel, was issued at 9:26 AM on Tuesday.
Today, almost all municipalities in Bragança, Vila Real, Guarda, Viseu, Coimbra, Castelo Branco, and Faro are at maximum risk of rural fire, according to data from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA).
[News in update]
