“We have two fronts, one more upward and another more downward.” said Luís Antunes, mayor of Lousã, noting that the flames are burning on a slope near the village of Cerdeira and “then on a slope facing more to the south.”
Although the two fronts might orient towards the neighboring municipality of Castanheira de Pera, in the district of Leiria, the Lousã mayor said that this has not happened thus far, as the fire, “fortunately, given the wind behavior,” was “in a more contained situation.”
“We carried out preventive evacuations in the villages of Candal, Cerdeira, Silveira, and now in villages on the more southern slope,” Luís Antunes explained before mobile communication was lost again.
According to information from the Lousã Municipality shared on Facebook, “preventively and in coordination with authorities, the villages of Talasnal, Casal Novo, Chiqueiro, Catarredor, and Vaqueirinho have been evacuated.”
“The EN236 and the Cacilhas / Hortas Road (access to villages) are closed to vehicle traffic,” the statement read.
According to the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) page, the ongoing fire in a forested area in Candal, in the Union of Parishes of Lousã and Vilarinho, at 7:30 PM, was mobilizing 305 operating personnel, 86 land resources, and five air assets.
A source from the sub-regional Command of Emergency and Civil Protection in the Coimbra region mentioned that the fire in the Lousã mountain “is active, with resources in combat,” adding that the flames are moving towards the higher area of the mountain, at Trevim, which is 1,205 meters in altitude.
The mayor of Lousã further noted that the fire originated on the west slope of the hillside, above the village of Candal, with the alert being given at 1:46 PM.
“It almost reached containment but lost control,” progressing towards the highest point of the mountain, which borders the districts of Coimbra and Leiria, he added.
According to the mayor, due to the fire and the need to facilitate the movement of emergency resources, the National Road (EN) 236, connecting Lousã to Castanheira de Pêra (Leiria), has restricted circulation.
“We need to safeguard people and goods and avoid unnecessary situations and facilitate the movement of combat resources,” he indicated.
Also preventively, access to the Lousã Castle and the Senhora da Piedade sanctuary area was blocked, which lies opposite to the fire’s direction as of mid-afternoon today, “given the proximity and the possible progression the fire could make.”
