Portugal battles three major blazes in mountainous north, forcing evacuations, challenging firefighters

Lisbon [Portugal], August 11 : Portugal is battling three major blazes in the mountainous north, forcing evacuations, challenging firefighters. A fire in the municipality of Trancoso has threatened to engulf homes as Portugal struggles to contain a worsening wildfire season, EuroNews reported.

Portugal has sent reinforcements to combat three major wildfires on Monday as the country remains on high alert for heat risk after temperatures continued to soar, as per EuroNews.

Over 650 firefighters, alongside 226 vehicles and six helicopters, were sent to combat a fire in the village of Freches in the district of Trancoso.

The blaze, which was fuelled by high temperatures and strong winds, threatened residents from at least four nearby villages.

Local media reported that at least 17 people, including six firefighters, were injured in the fire.

Wildfires encroaching on the villages of Palhais, Reboleiro, Aldeia Nova and Aldeia Velha were the most concerning, authorities said, as per EuroNews.

Nearly 400 firefighters were sent to tackle another blaze in the village of Sobral de São Miguel in the municipality of Covilhã, which first broke out on Sunday afternoon.

A source from the Beiras and Serra da Estrela Subregional Command told local media that "the situation is evolving favourably" and that "some situations are already in the aftermath, but the three fronts are still active".

On Sunday night, the mayor of Covilhã, Vitor Pereira, predicted the blaze could be brought under control by Monday morning.

At least 86 firefighters were sent to the village of Tavora and Pereiro to combat a third fire.

Portugal has deployed thousands of firefighters to combat fires as temperatures have soared since July, leaving the majority of the country on high alert for heat risk.

As of Monday, at least 12 districts in the country are under orange warning due to the heat. Portugal's emergency authorities said the country's mainland remains on high alert due to the risk of fires in rural areas.

Portugal's National Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) said that, by mid-July, wildfires had burned through 10,768 hectares of land, three times more than in the same period last year.

Fires in the country, the ICNF said, have become more aggressive since 2017.

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