Wildfires continue to rage across Portugal, injuring 29 people and requiring the combined efforts of thousands of firefighters to try and temper the flames. Of the 29 injured, 12 of which were firefighters and the remaining 17 were civilians.
This comes after temperatures soar in the last week, expected now to reach highs of 43 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.
The rest of the EU has rushed to the aid of Portugal, initiating its firefighting air fleet resistance programme on Sunday, pooling their resources to aid Portugal as the situation is expected to worsen next week.
Spain has sortied two firefighting planes to aid the neighbouring nation, while Portugal has mobilised over 60 of its own to aid in efforts. This overwhelming action comes after forest fires in 2017 killed more than 100 people.
The slow and malicious advance of drastic climate change has been threatening countries close to the equator even more in recent years – last month, 96% of Portugal was classified as being in “extreme” or “severe” drought, bringing the nation to a state of alert.
Portuguese prime minister Antonio Costa delayed a planned visit to Mozambique this week “in view of the weather forecasts that indicate a very serious worsening risk of rural fires”. Likewise, Portuguese president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also cancelled a trip to New York, where he was expected to speak at a UN economic and social council.
This national state of alert forbids citizens from entering forests deemed at high risk of fires, as well as bans on using farm machinery, outlawed fireworks and other objects that can cause sparks.
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Media contact
Rebecca Morpeth Spayne,
Editor, International Fire Buyer
Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922
Email: [email protected]
