<![CDATA[ Pior está para chegar: Perigo máximo de incêndios por mais oito dias com calor a passar os 45 graus ]]>

The maximum danger of rural fires occurring and rapidly developing will continue for at least another eight days. During this period, moderate, sometimes strong, easterly winds and very high, very high temperatures are expected to continue. Between Sunday and Tuesday, heat records could even be broken in some regions of the country. Forecasts point to temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius, and even close to 50 degrees Celsius—as well as tropical nights—which will be a major setback for firefighting, considering that the past few days have been hot, but nights have been cool, helping to contain the flames.

Wednesday was once again a busy day for thousands of firefighters, who have been responding to new fires every hour since Sunday in the north and center of the country. The most complicated situation was again the Arouca fire, which spread to the neighboring municipalities of Cinfães and Castelo de Paiva. Fighting the fires in this area involved approximately a thousand firefighters, who did everything possible to save threatened homes and protect people.

In Pinhanços, Seia, a fire also broke out in a sensitive area, mobilizing more than two hundred men and women. A vigorous battle brought the flames under control. This was also the case with other fires that occurred on Wednesday, which relied heavily on the rapid and effective aerial response, with decisive drops, followed by the now-customary groundwork of firefighters. However, one factor is becoming crucial: firefighter fatigue. Firefighting teams from practically all over the country were mobilized for the major fires in Ponte da Barca, Arouca, and Penamacor. Many traveled several hundred kilometers just to reach the scene, compounded by the natural physical exhaustion of fighting and the less-than-ideal conditions for rest between hours of field work.

As the days go by, the strain on resources increases. Given what's to come, several operational staff told CM that the government should activate the European Civil Protection Mechanism immediately, as a preventative measure—because they take two days to arrive—especially to receive heavy air resources, which, contrary to what the Minister of Internal Affairs believes and has said, are essential in all phases of the fire: initiation, fighting, and even the necessary aftermath.

AND ALSO

Burned area equivalent to Lisbon and a half

Between Monday and Wednesday, fires in Portugal destroyed more than 15,000 hectares of forest and scrubland. This is more than the 14,500 hectares that burned between January 1st and July 27th (last Sunday). These 15,000 hectares burned since Monday represent an area one and a half times the size of the city of Lisbon (100 km2).

6,500 hectares burned in Arouca

According to official data, the Arouca fire destroyed more than 6,500 hectares; Penamacor, 2,500; and Ponte da Barca, which started on Sunday, more than 3,400.

GNR saves dog

A GNR soldier is being praised for risking his life on Tuesday to save a dog trapped by flames in a house in Cuba, Alentejo. The soldier entered the burning house and performed the rescue.