The update was given by the deputy regional commander of Douro, José Requeijo, who stated at 8:00 am that efforts to combat the fire are “progressing favorably,” after a significant reactivation occurred on Monday afternoon.
This marks the 11th day of the rural fire that began in Sirarelhos, with an alert issued at 11:45 pm on August 2. The fire had been brought under control, but since Saturday, it has experienced two reactivations. Today, it is in the highlands of Alvão.
“We face the challenge of combating a fire in mountainous terrain with difficult access and steep slopes, making aerial resources potentially very advantageous,” noted José Requeijo, adding that helicopters and planes have been requested for the incident.
The cooling effect “from the aerial resources’ water drops allows the firefighting teams to advance more quickly,” the official explained.
“We have seen a more favorable scenario. Yesterday [Monday], the reactivation late in the afternoon was concerning due to its intensity and rapid spread, taking the fire line to the villages of Cravelas, Outeiro, and Testeira. Our focus was on protecting the populations, fortunately without damage to residents or homes. We were able to provide that protection,” emphasized the commander.
What remains is the current “work front in the forest area,” but he highlighted that the operation “has been going well.”
“We’ve spent the whole night with firefighting teams strategizing to control it, and currently, progress is good, the teams are deployed, they are on the ground, and we hope the situation will be favorable,” he stressed.
When asked about complaints from the mayor of Vila Real, Alexandre Favaios, who requested more resources to combat the fire affecting the municipality, José Requeijo expressed understanding of the mayor’s concerns.
“It is natural, seeing his territory consumed by fire, no one is left calm or reassured by such a situation. The fact is that we have been dealing with this incident for many days, but we are also experiencing a period with weather conditions — temperature, climate — that create the perfect recipe for this situation. Therefore, the combat has been effective, resources are available, and we have had that capability,” he stated.
According to the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection’s website, this morning, 304 operatives, 103 vehicles, and one aerial resource were mobilized for this incident.
