The death toll from raging wildfires in central and northern Portugal has climbed to four, with over 40 people injured, according to the state news agency Lusa. The ongoing crisis has prompted authorities to evacuate additional villages as the situation worsens.
As of Monday night, the civil protection authority had confirmed three fatalities but did not provide further details regarding Lusa’s report on the fourth death. Firefighters have been battling a complex of four fires in the northwestern Aveiro district, where more than 1,000 personnel worked overnight to contain the flames.
Footage from the region showed local residents bravely combating the advancing fires, with some pouring buckets of water on the flames near the town of Nelas, located approximately 50 km east of Aveiro. The fires have devastated the area, consuming over 10,000 hectares of forest and scrubland in just the past two days—an area roughly equal to what was lost in all of August across the entire country.
Currently, there are 48 active wildfires on mainland Portugal, mobilizing around 5,000 firefighters in a desperate effort to bring the situation under control. The weather forecast for the next two days predicts continued hot and dry conditions, which could exacerbate the ongoing crisis.
Authorities remain on high alert as they work to protect lives and property from the destructive wildfires that have already caused significant damage to local communities. As the firefighting efforts continue, the nation grapples with the tragic loss of life and the threat posed by the relentless flames.
Sources By Agencies
