Fire is not threatening homes or properties
Seven aircraft are back in the fight today against the fire that broke out on Wednesday in the Montejunto mountain range, municipality of Cadaval (Lisbon district), with more than 500 fire fighters in action, a source from civil defence has told Lusa.
Speaking to reporters at 9am this morning, the regional commander, Carlos Silva, said that the aircraft have been in action since early morning, and discharging water over some of the most active points of the fire.
“We have some inaccessible places and, therefore, the commitment of air resources is very important,” he said. “We also have people on foot to help consolidate on land.”
According to Silva, the fire is burning with little intensity on the ridge line of the Montejunto mountain range but in front of the fire there are some more critical points due to the wind.
“The fire was giving way throughout the night,” he said. “It is (burning) with less intensity, but with the warming of the day and the continuation of the wind we have to keep up combat, not least because the area is large.”
There are still no villages at risk, nor any victims, he confirmed.
“We only have record of four operatives who needed to be assisted in situ,” he said, adding that two had fallen and two others were being treated for smoke inhalation, but all four were “very slight” injuries and the people concerned have returned to work.
Silva also said that there are no roads closed due to the fire: “We have vehicles scattered along the roads, what happens is that the GNR sometimes cuts some lanes to facilitate the movement of the means, but there are no roads cut.”
At 9 am the fire was being fought by 504 operatives, with the support of 155 vehicles and seven aircraft.
The fire began early yesterday afternoon, near the town of Espinheira, at the base of the Montejunto mountain range, consuming an area of eucalyptus and pine trees.
Source: LUSA
