01:18Mandatory Credit: gsgabrielsantan
At least seven people, including three firefighters, have died as wildfires continue to ravage Portugal, according to local news reports. The fatalities include three Portuguese firefighters who lost their lives while battling a blaze in Nelas, a town approximately 300 km (170 miles) northeast of Lisbon.
Footage from Valongo do Vouga filmed on Tuesday shows locals using hoses to combat advancing flames as the wildfires engulf the region.
Portugal is currently grappling with over 50 active wildfires and has deployed approximately 5,300 firefighters to fight the blazes. The country has also requested assistance from the European Union.
Authorities have closed several motorways, including a key stretch linking Lisbon and Porto, and suspended train services on two lines in northern Portugal. ANEPC civil protection authority commander Andre Fernandes confirmed that the fires in Aveiro, which have destroyed numerous homes, could potentially spread to an additional 20,000 hectares.
Fernandes’ deputy, Mario Silvestre, described the situation as 'calmer but still worrying and complex,' with many villages affected and firefighting teams spread thin. The Aveiro fires have already burned over 10,000 hectares of forest and shrubland.
The fires follow a period of high temperatures and strong winds, with temperatures exceeding 30°C (86°F) over the weekend. Jorge Ponte of the IPMA meteorology agency called Monday 'one of the worst days ever' for fire risk in Portugal, citing a dangerous mix of high temperatures, wind gusts of up to 70 km/h, and very low humidity.
The government has sought aid from the European Commission, resulting in Spain, Italy, and Greece sending two water-bombing aircraft each to help combat the fires.
Portugal wildfires - Seven dead including three firefighters, as over 50 blazes continue to rage
At least seven people, including three firefighters, have died as wildfires continue to ravage Portugal, according to local news reports. The fatalities include three Portuguese firefighters who lost their lives while battling a blaze in Nelas, a town approximately 300 km (170 miles) northeast of Lisbon.
Footage from Valongo do Vouga filmed on Tuesday shows locals using hoses to combat advancing flames as the wildfires engulf the region.
Portugal is currently grappling with over 50 active wildfires and has deployed approximately 5,300 firefighters to fight the blazes. The country has also requested assistance from the European Union.
Authorities have closed several motorways, including a key stretch linking Lisbon and Porto, and suspended train services on two lines in northern Portugal. ANEPC civil protection authority commander Andre Fernandes confirmed that the fires in Aveiro, which have destroyed numerous homes, could potentially spread to an additional 20,000 hectares.
Fernandes’ deputy, Mario Silvestre, described the situation as 'calmer but still worrying and complex,' with many villages affected and firefighting teams spread thin. The Aveiro fires have already burned over 10,000 hectares of forest and shrubland.
The fires follow a period of high temperatures and strong winds, with temperatures exceeding 30°C (86°F) over the weekend. Jorge Ponte of the IPMA meteorology agency called Monday 'one of the worst days ever' for fire risk in Portugal, citing a dangerous mix of high temperatures, wind gusts of up to 70 km/h, and very low humidity.
The government has sought aid from the European Commission, resulting in Spain, Italy, and Greece sending two water-bombing aircraft each to help combat the fires.
Mandatory Credit: gsgabrielsantan
At least seven people, including three firefighters, have died as wildfires continue to ravage Portugal, according to local news reports. The fatalities include three Portuguese firefighters who lost their lives while battling a blaze in Nelas, a town approximately 300 km (170 miles) northeast of Lisbon.
Footage from Valongo do Vouga filmed on Tuesday shows locals using hoses to combat advancing flames as the wildfires engulf the region.
Portugal is currently grappling with over 50 active wildfires and has deployed approximately 5,300 firefighters to fight the blazes. The country has also requested assistance from the European Union.
Authorities have closed several motorways, including a key stretch linking Lisbon and Porto, and suspended train services on two lines in northern Portugal. ANEPC civil protection authority commander Andre Fernandes confirmed that the fires in Aveiro, which have destroyed numerous homes, could potentially spread to an additional 20,000 hectares.
Fernandes’ deputy, Mario Silvestre, described the situation as 'calmer but still worrying and complex,' with many villages affected and firefighting teams spread thin. The Aveiro fires have already burned over 10,000 hectares of forest and shrubland.
The fires follow a period of high temperatures and strong winds, with temperatures exceeding 30°C (86°F) over the weekend. Jorge Ponte of the IPMA meteorology agency called Monday 'one of the worst days ever' for fire risk in Portugal, citing a dangerous mix of high temperatures, wind gusts of up to 70 km/h, and very low humidity.
The government has sought aid from the European Commission, resulting in Spain, Italy, and Greece sending two water-bombing aircraft each to help combat the fires.