According to Bruno Amado, president of the Santa Ovaia and Vila Pouca da Beira Union of Parishes, two inhabited houses in Vila Pouca da Beira were destroyed by flames, and their residents were relocated with family members.
On Friday, the parish was hit by a fire front that originated in Avô and Aldeia das Dez (Oliveira do Hospital municipality), entering through Santa Ovaia, while a second front from Digueifel, originating from Anceriz (Arganil municipality), affected Vila Pouca da Beira.
Bruno Amado told Lusa today that one of the homes “is uninhabitable” and “will require extensive intervention to restore livable conditions”.
The Union of Parishes offered a space to house the residents, though they were accommodated by relatives: “The situation, for now, is resolved, pending future actions to provide the necessary rehabilitation of the house within our capabilities.”
The other house affected by the flames, home to a man, was also “completely lost” in Vila Pouca da Beira.
The resident “is with his parents” and “everyone is safe”, adding that some animals (dogs and sheep) were also rescued.
A solidarity campaign is underway to rebuild the destroyed home, while local authorities will also monitor the situation closely.
“At present, these are the known issues, although the full extent of the destruction is still undetermined,” declared Amado, highlighting uncertainty over losses such as secondary homes and businesses.
The story of Pedro is shared by IRA on social media. They revealed that “the flames completely destroyed Pedro’s house” in the Oliveira do Hospital area, leaving him with only the animals that managed to escape because they were roaming freely.
In the area of the Santa Ovaia and Vila Pouca da Beira Union of Parishes, the fire burned cultivation areas, fruit trees, and forest species.
“Here and there, small green spots remained, but they are scarce compared to the total area affected”, the local leader described.
Bruno Amado stated that the damages, which will be assessed in the coming days, “are significant”, and the local council will support the residents as they did in 2017.
The firefighters on the ground “deserve praise,” and the local fire departments were “tireless” in battling the flames, stressing that “there are no casualties” to worry about.
The forest fire affecting Oliveira do Hospital municipality, which started in the neighboring Arganil in the same district, is “completely under control”, and mopping-up operations are underway, according to local authorities.
In a statement provided to Lusa at 11:05 a.m., an official source confirmed the fire was “completely under control” within the municipality.
By 4:00 p.m., the concern shifted to “reignitions and hot spots,” the source noted.
The forest fire ignited in the Piódão parish, Arganil municipality, at 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday, reportedly caused by a lightning strike during a dry thunderstorm that occurred in the area. It subsequently spread to the municipalities of Oliveira do Hospital and Seia, located in the Guarda district, among others.
On Friday, the fire prompted the evacuation of some tourist facilities.
As of 4:20 p.m. today, according to the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection’s website, the fire originating in Arganil was being fought by 892 personnel, supported by 305 vehicles and six aerial units.
[Updated at 5:43 p.m.]
