In statements to the Lusa agency, the ANEPC representative indicated that the resources deployed to reactivate the fire in the Tapada do Loureiro area, in the municipality of Portalegre, “resolved the situation.”
The fire has returned to a controlled status, which means it is considered contained, they confirmed, noting that consolidation and cleanup work, as well as monitoring, continue.
At around 7:00 PM, 230 operatives remained on the ground, supported by 74 vehicles.
Also in the Portalegre district, but in the municipality of Nisa in the São Gens area, another fire broke out at 6:13 PM. By 7:15 PM today, it was engaging 93 operatives, 19 vehicles, and four aerial units, according to the ANEPC’s online page.
“It is a fire burning with great intensity, consuming brush and cork oak,” the ANEPC representative explained.
The fire in the municipalities of Portalegre and Castelo de Vide started at 2:01 PM on Thursday and was considered contained at 10:19 AM today after an aerial reconnaissance of the entire perimeter.
In the afternoon, around 4:35 PM, the fire experienced a “strong reactivation,” which has since been resolved.
The burned area in the municipalities of Portalegre and Castelo de Vide covers approximately 1,300 hectares, with the flames impacting some second homes and abandoned buildings, authorities reported.
“Across the municipalities of Portalegre and Castelo de Vide, we are talking about a burned area of about 1,300 hectares,” estimated the mayor of Castelo de Vide, António Pita.
According to the mayor, most of the affected area falls “within the Serra de São Mamede Natural Park,” resulting in a “significant loss in terms of biodiversity.”
The Castelo de Vide municipality has begun assessing the damage, which is expected to be completed within “a few days.”
“There are abandoned and second homes that were affected,” he mentioned, adding that the same happened with “infrastructures of EDP, communications, the railway line itself, like a section of the old Cáceres branch, fences, and forest damage.”
[Updated at 7:38 PM]
