“I hope that following the appeal I made today [Tuesday], heavy aerial means will be intensified tomorrow [Wednesday] morning. I still don’t have an indication of when they will be deployed, but I hope it’s early in the morning,” said Augusto Marinho.
The social-democratic mayor, speaking to the Lusa agency around 10:29 PM after a briefing with entities on the ground to define the strategy for Wednesday to combat the fire that broke out Saturday night in the Peneda-Gerês National Park, said the “situation is very complicated.”
“We have two major concerns regarding the progression of the front in the parish of Ermida, which is heading towards the village of Germil. We are very worried about the impact on the village, but also that it may diverge towards Terras de Bouro, [in the Braga district] or enter other villages in the municipality of Ponte da Barca,” he stated.
Augusto Marinho mentioned there is “another front burning in Serra Amarela which, if not controlled, could head towards Mata do Cabril, one of the few integral reserve areas of the Peneda-Gerês National Park (PNPG).”
“Once past that area, the fire moves towards Spain,” he added, noting that the strategy outlined today involves deploying “operatives to combat fronts, supported by aerial means.”
“This is the most efficient way to face this fire heading towards the village of Germil. We have managed to contain the fronts that threaten houses. The protective deployment for the houses has been very efficient because the extent of the fronts and the intensity of the fire are immense. The very rugged terrain and winds turn a small outbreak into a large front that threatens the widely scattered residences,” he highlighted.
The mayor of Ponte da Barca emphasized that the fire “is very challenging, with immense scope and a large burnt area.”
“Controlling the flames depends on many factors, particularly weather conditions and the involvement of aerial means, which is essential,” he warned.
According to the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) website, as of 11:34 PM, the fire had mobilized 391 operatives, supported by 134 vehicles.
