Serra da Estrela fire burns 16% of natural park

Written By Lara Silva

The fire in Serra da Estrela began on August 6 and has already destroyed 16% of the natural park, reports CNN Portugal. The fire reactivated on Monday, and over 1,300 firefighters were at the scene by Tuesday night. The areas of Manteigas, Covilha, and Guarda have been affected.

A total of 14,000 hectares have been destroyed, and all of the burnt trees will have to be taken down.

Andre Fernandes, the national commander of the Civil Protection said in a press conference that the fire has “a violent behavior, in many areas with an elevated intensity.” 

Various villages were evacuated as people fleed their homes to safety. 24 people were injured in the fire in Serra da Estrela, three people seriously.   

Along with the fire in Serra da Estrela, around 50 municipalities in the north, center, Alentejo, and the Algarve are classified under maximum fire risk.

This year, 68 people have been arrested under suspicion of starting forest fires, 16 more than last year. A lot of these cases are not deliberate.

For example, in Albufeira, the police arrested a 50-year-old that started a “queimada” (small controlled fire to fertilize soil or burn unnecessary plants), and the situation got out of control. 

Portugal is set to enter a third heat wave on August 20.

According to the Portuguese Institute of the Ocean and Atmosphere, the next few days will be hotter, and temperatures could reach 40 degrees. This will make fighting fires harder.

Serra da Estrela

Stay up to date
Subscribe To Portugal.com's Newsletter

Receive the latest news, travel information, stories, offers and more!

Invalid email address
Give it a try. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Join our FB group Portugal Travel & Living for all things Portugal and news updates

Related Articles

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Follow Us

395FansLike
256FollowersFollow
159FollowersFollow

Most Popular

Spain vs Portugal: Which Golden Visa Program is Best?

There has been a lot of talk of Golden Visa schemes over the last few years. Each scheme has different rules and varying levels...

Life After NHR: Latest 2024 Update

Well, there is no doubt that 2023 was a rocky year in Portugal’s rich political history. The year saw changes to the very popular...

Portugal Golden Visa Latest: 2024 Update

Although the path to Portuguese citizenship through property investment ended in October of 2023, the Golden Visa program remains open and in full flow....

Latest Articles