A spokesperson from the sub-regional command of Beiras and Serra da Estrela of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) confirmed that the fire was declared under control at around 5:00 a.m.
The source highlighted that the fire was contained “thanks to the work of the firefighters and the operational teams on the ground,” but admitted that the arrival of rain helped in combating the flames.
Around 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, the same sub-regional command had told Lusa that the battle against the fire was “progressing favorably” because “the deployed resources are managing to halt the fire fronts that exist.”
The official emphasized that the weather was also aiding, with decreasing wind intensity and increasing relative humidity.
Contacted by Lusa, the mayor of Seia, Luciano Ribeiro, noted that the activation of the municipal emergency civil protection plan, set to remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, allowed for more public and private resources to be available for the populations.
“The idea is to be able to remain actively vigilant and have the resources the municipality is responsible for providing, at the disposal of both the command and the populations,” the mayor stated.
Regarding potential damages, Luciano Ribeiro reported that the municipality is already assessing the situation after the fire traveled through several localities and industrial areas, destroying “a vacant house, which was already uninhabitable,” and some agricultural annexes.
The mayor of Seia also stressed that the fire was fought with “the resources that kept arriving” and with the initiative of the populations.
“It was very intense in the afternoon, it was truly chaotic,” he described, referring to “strong wind, with intense gusts, often without a precise direction.”
According to information available on the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority’s (ANEPC) website, by 5:15 a.m. today, there were 565 operatives fighting the flames, supported by 176 ground vehicles.
