Three forest and brush fires had been raging in central and northern Portugal for several days. The government placed them in a "state-of contingency" because of the scorching heat.
"The fire reached 50 meters from the house in the village [...].. Donzilia Marques testified that everything was destroyed there, pointing out the hills between Travessa de Almogadel, her hamlet, and Freixianda in the municipality of Ourem (center).
This 76-year old retired lady was evacuated from her home on Thursday night and was able to return to the house on Sunday morning. She was relieved to find that there had been no fire. Civil protection said that the fire that erupted on Thursday and mobilized over 700 peacekeepers Sunday morning after ravaging more than 1,500 hectares, but only destroyed two houses.
Although at least 12 firefighters were injured and almost 20 others among the general population were affected by the fires, most victims received immediate treatment for signs of exhaustion or intoxication. A second fire, involving 450 firefighters, was raging in Pombal on Friday. It is also at the confluence between the Santarem and Leiria districts.
In the Braganca region, the fire that erupted in Carrazeda de Ansiaes on Thursday was another hot spot in this weekend of "high risk". Prime Minister Antonio Costa cancelled a trip to Mozambique in order to closely monitor the situation.
Portugal's government declared a state of contingency and requested that the European Union activate its common civil protection mechanism. This was followed by the dispatch of two water bomber aircrafts to Spain.
Andre Fernandes, the National Civil Protection Commander, commented that "We are facing an almost unimaginable situation in terms of weather." More than 120 fires were started per day on Friday and Saturday.
Jose Luis Carneiro, the Interior Minister, said Portugal faced the "worst combination" of factors since the October 2017 fires that claimed more than 100 lives.
Scientists predict that global warming is responsible for the increase in fires around the world. This is why global warming is a perfect combination for the creation of fires: an increase in temperature, multiplication of heat waves, and a drop in precipitation.
The heatwave currently affecting the country is that 28.4% of its territory was in an "extreme drought" situation at the end June, as opposed to 1.4% one month earlier.
