At least three killed in forest fires in Aveiro

After a firefighter died of a heart attack during the operation the night before, two more bodies were recovered there, the Lusa news agency reported, citing civil defense. In both cases, civilians were said to be involved. Authorities put the number of injured emergency services and civilians at 17.

More than 3,500 firefighters, civil defense personnel and soldiers have been temporarily battling various blazes, mainly in the north and center of this popular holiday destination. “The situation is not out of control, but it is complicated,” said Andrés Fernández, head of the National Renewable Energy Agency. The firefighting effort is going well given the circumstances. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro has cancelled all appointments until Tuesday evening.

After the government in Lisbon asked its European partners for support as part of the EU’s civil protection mechanism, the response was swift: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that Spain, France, Italy and Greece would each send two aircraft to fight the fires. The interior ministry in Lisbon said the Spanish aircraft would arrive on Monday.

Although fires have broken out in many parts of the country, attention has focused particularly on Aveiro, where three major fires and several smaller ones have broken out. There, flames have engulfed several homes, businesses and vehicles in the community of Albergaria Avelha, with a population of 25,000, about 60 kilometers south of Porto. The smoke has darkened the skies over the regional capital Aveiro and other municipalities in this coastal region. Citizens have been urged to stay indoors and use as little water as possible.

Several highways and some rural roads were partially closed. Train and long-distance bus services were severely disrupted. Civil defence said about 70 people had been taken to safety in various areas. One of the two people killed on Monday was a 28-year-old forestry company employee who was caught in the woods by the blaze. The second victim, like the firefighter before him, was said to have also died of a heart attack while trying to put out the blaze near his home. The identity of this person was not initially known.

According to authorities, the fires broke out in Aveiro on Sunday evening. The causes were initially unknown. There were also some major forest fires in other parts of Portugal. Due to unfavorable weather conditions, there was an increased risk of forest fires across the entire mainland until Tuesday evening. So far this year, Portugal has largely escaped major forest fires.