The firefighters are extremely exhausted, given the scale of this fire. Those capable of addressing this situation, please assist us. I am unsure of what more I can do at this moment, other than to make this appeal: to truly deploy people on the ground and refresh these operational teams,” stated the mayor.
Alexandre Favaios addressed journalists in the village of Paredes, currently one of the key areas of concern for firefighters due to the proximity of the blaze.
The mayor noted that the fire has already affected 25 villages and spread over 12 kilometers, from Mascoselo to Paredes, four of which were traversed today. He highlighted two new ignitions this afternoon in the La Salette area of Vila Cova.
Alexandre Favaios reiterated the need for the mobilization of all available resources, arguing that the current efforts are insufficient to control the fire.
“We are on alert. The responsibility is clear. There is a decree stating that the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection has the autonomy to mobilize all available means to be deployed on the ground. That is what we are asking for. Pure and simple,” he mentioned.
The mayor stated that he has not yet spoken to the prime minister or the minister of internal affairs but clarified that communication has been maintained with the state secretary, “informing about the additional mobilization of some resources” which has only helped mitigate certain situations.
He further urged those with power to end this plight, anxiety, and anguish, to do so.
This fire, now in its 11th day, ignited at 11:45 PM on August 2. It was nearing completion and has since reactivated twice, once on Saturday and again on Monday afternoon.
According to the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) website, as of 8:00 PM, 467 firefighters, 159 vehicles, and six aerial units have been deployed to combat the fire.
