Skip to main content
International

State of calamity declared in Portugal, wildfires consume nearly 40,000 acres

Share

Portugal is battling one of its worst wildfire outbreaks in recent years, with more than 100 fires stretching the resources of thousands of firefighters and volunteers to their limits. The outbreak turned deadly this week during the week of Sept. 15, with seven lives lost and dozens of injuries.

Media Landscape

MediaMiss™This story is a Media Miss by the right as only 0% of the coverage is from right leaning media. Learn more about this data
Left 78% Center 22% Right 0%
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News

The lives of four firefighters and three civilians, including a volunteer firefighter, were lost this week. Now, a state of calamity has been declared by Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro in the hardest hit areas. He’s mobilized additional resources, calling on police to intensify efforts to find the arsonists responsible for sparking the fires.

QR code for SAN app download

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

The Portuguese government has also pledged support for those who have lost their homes or been evacuated. So far, police have arrested seven men suspected of involvement.

Meanwhile, environmental experts are pointing to climate change and the abandonment of traditional farming methods as key contributors to the scale of the wildfires.

Weather has also been a factor in the spread of the fire. Consistent winds on Monday, Sept. 16, around 45 mph have been a key contributor to the spread of the flames as well, with high temperatures and very low humidity.

Since the fires erupted over the weekend, an area roughly the size of 90,000 football fields has been scorched across mainland Portugal. The fires have reduced entire villages to ash, with local residents joining firefighters in battling the flames however they can, with buckets, hoses, rakes and even tree branches.

The European Union has also has stepped in, deploying planes and firefighters from Spain, France and Italy. Even Morocco recently sent aircraft to assist in dousing the flames. Despite international support, the thick smoke and winds are hampering air operation, with visibility in some areas greatly reduced.

In a televised address, the prime minister warned that the situation was far from over, calling for continued support from Portugal’s European neighbors.

Tags: , , , , , ,

Jack Aylmer

PORTUGAL IS BATTLING ONE OF ITS WORST WILDFIRE OUTBREAKS IN RECENT YEARS, WITH MORE THAN 100 FIRES STRETCHING THE RESOURCES OF THOUSANDS OF FIREFIGHTERS TO THEIR LIMITS.

THE OUTBREAK TURNED DEADLY THIS WEEK WITH SEVEN LIVES LOST, INCLUDING FOUR FIREFIGHTERS AND THREE CIVILIANS. 

PORTUGUESE PRIME MINISTER LUIS MONTENEGRO HAS DECLARED A STATE OF CALAMITY IN THE HARDEST-HIT AREAS. 

HE’S MOBILIZED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, CALLING ON POLICE TO INTENSIFY EFFORTS TO FIND THE ARSONISTS RESPONSIBILE FOR SPARKING THE FIRES, AND PLEDGING SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO’VE LOST THEIR HOMES OR WHO HAVE BEEN EVACUATED. 

SO FAR, POLICE HAVE ARRESTED SEVEN MEN SUSPECTED OF INVOLVEMENT. 

MEANWHILE, ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS ARE POINTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE ABANDONMENT OF TRADITIONAL FARMING METHODS AS KEY CONTRIBUTORS TO THE SCALE OF THE WILDFIRES. 

SINCE THE FIRES ERUPTED OVER THE WEEKEND, AN AREA ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF 90-THOUSAND FOOTBALL FIELDS HAS BEEN SCORCHED ACROSS MAINLAND PORTUGAL. 

THE FIRES HAVE REDUCED ENTIRE RURAL VILLAGES TO ASHES, WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS BATTLING THE FLAMES HOWEVER THEY CAN; USING BUCKETS, HOSES AND EVEN TREE BRANCHES.

THE EUROPEAN UNION HAD STEPPED IN, DEPLOYING PLANES AND FIREFIGHTERS FROM SPAIN, FRANCE, AND ITALY. MOROCCO HAS ALSO SENT AIRCRAFT TO ASSIST IN DOUSING THE FLAMES. 

DESPITE INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT, THE THICK SMOKE IS HAMPERING AIR OPERATIONS, AND VISIBILITY IN SOME AREAS HAS BEEN GREATLY REDUCED.

IN A TELEVISED ADDRESS, THE PRIME MINISTER WARNED THAT THE SITUATION WAS FAR FROM OVER, CALLING FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT FROM PORTUGAL’S EUROPEAN NEIGHBORS. 

WE’LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AND BRING YOU UPDATES AS MORE DETAILS COME IN. 

FOR SAN, I’M JACK AYLMER