“More than 300 personnel remain on the ground to monitor the situation as there are many hotspots and a large fire perimeter,” said Artur Mota.
At 6:30 a.m., 361 personnel were on site, supported by 120 ground vehicles.
The fire, which had been burning for several days in the Galician region of Spain, reached the Chaves area on Tuesday. It was brought under control by 10:35 a.m. on Wednesday, but reactivated later in the day, advancing towards Vila Verde da Raia and Bustelo.
On Wednesday, the flames reached the business park in Outeiro Seco, in the Cocanha industrial zone at the entrance to the city of Chaves, and also in Bustelo.
In the industrial area, the fire affected a storage yard where tons of wood for sale were burned.
On Monday, the fire had already crossed the border in the Vilar de Perdizes area, in the municipality of Montalegre, also in the northern district of Vila Real.
At 6:30 a.m., according to data from the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), the fire that began over a week ago in Arganil, in the district of Coimbra, remained uncontrolled. It has already affected three municipalities in the district of Castelo Branco (Castelo Branco, Fundão, and Covilhã), mobilizing 1,674 personnel with the support of 567 vehicles.
At this hour, the fire that broke out on Wednesday in Cinco Vilas and Reigada, in Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, in the district of Guarda, was still not under control, involving 158 personnel aided by 40 vehicles.
Mainland Portugal has been affected by multiple rural fires since July, particularly in the North and Central regions.
The fires have caused three fatalities, including a firefighter, and several injuries, some severe, and have completely or partially destroyed primary and secondary residences, as well as agricultural and livestock farms and forest areas.
Provisional data indicates that more than 233,000 hectares have burned in the country so far, surpassing the total area burned in all of 2024.
