Portugal Struggles with Wildfires, Gains Support from Spain and Morocco

A surge of deadly wildfires in Portugal has stretched emergency services to their limits, prompting the arrival of reinforcements from Spain and Morocco on Wednesday, according to authorities. Cooler weather has also offered a glimmer of hope in the fight against the blazes.

So far, at least seven lives have been lost due to the fires affecting the Aveiro and Viseu districts. The wildfires have destroyed dozens of homes and consumed tens of thousands of hectares of forest and scrubland. In response to the crisis, authorities have mobilized over 5,000 firefighters to combat the flames.

Reuters footage captured local residents in the hard-hit Aveiro district distributing food and water to weary fire crews, offering words of encouragement like “strength in the combat.” Volunteer Cristina Almeida expressed, “We know they are very tired. As they don’t have access to food and water, we are trying to help as a way of thanking them.”

In addition, a specialized team of 270 Spanish military personnel is set to be deployed in the central Viseu district starting Wednesday. The civil protection authority also reported that up to four heavy water-bombing aircraft are expected to arrive from Morocco to aid in firefighting efforts.

Spain, Italy, and France have each dispatched two water-bombing aircraft to Portugal after the Portuguese government requested assistance through the EU civil protection mechanism on Monday.

Civil protection chief Duarte Costa told CNN Portugal, “We are in a stressful situation, at the limit of our capabilities.” He added that the reinforcements would help enable some rotation of exhausted Portuguese firefighters and facilitate aircraft maintenance.

Data from the European Forest Fire Information Service reveals that large-scale wildfires in Portugal have consumed over 90,000 hectares (347 square miles) since Saturday. This brings the total burned area for the year to at least 124,000 hectares, marking the widest extent since 2017, when catastrophic wildfires claimed more than 100 lives.

Following a weekend of temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), officials anticipate that cooler air in the coming days will aid firefighting efforts. However, civil protection commander Andre Fernandes warned that the overall meteorological conditions remain unfavorable.

Authorities have identified that some of the numerous fires across Portugal were ignited by arsonists, driven by potential commercial interests, spite, or negligence. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro has pledged to “spare no effort in repressive action” against such criminal activities.

In a police statement, it was announced that 12 individuals have been arrested since Saturday on suspicion of arson in the districts of Aveiro, Leiria, Castelo Branco, Porto, and Braga.