The national commander of Civil Protection, Mário Silvestre, reported on the current situation of fires in mainland Portugal, stating that up to 12:30 PM today, 28 incidents were recorded, 22 of which began during the night, between midnight and 8 AM.
“At the moment, across the country, there are nine incidents that are of greater concern,” he stated, listing the locations as: Trancoso (Serra da Estrela), Vila Boa (Sátão), Piódão (Arganil), Candal (Lousã), Pêra do Moço (Guarda), Poiares (Freixo de Espada à Cinta), Aldeia de Santo António (Sabugal), Sortelha (Sabugal), and Vilarinho (Tarouca). According to the Central Regional Command, the fires in Sátão and Trancoso have merged on the ground, but the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) continues to list the data separately.
Mário Silvestre noted, “In operations that are in resolution, conclusion, and surveillance phases, there are 28 incidents involving 703 operatives, 216 vehicles, and 12 aircraft in total.”
During this update, held at ANEPC headquarters in Carnaxide (Oeiras, district of Lisbon), Mário Silvestre also urged the public to exercise caution when parking vehicles in fire zones, as they may hinder the movement of firefighters.
When questioned about reports of issues with the Integrated Emergency and Security Networks of Portugal (SIRESP), the commander acknowledged “some reports of occasional communication failures” but emphasized that “as of today, there is no report of any anomaly in the SIRESP network.”
