In the South of Portugal, a forest fire threatened the resort town of Monchique. 250 residents from villages around the Algarve, a nearby tourist town had been brought to safety.
After the situation seemed to be largely under control, the Situation is due to the emerging winds on Monday evening once again deteriorated, with authorities on Tuesday. 250 residents from villages around the Algarve, a nearby tourist town had been brought to safety.
In the South of Portugal fought on Tuesday more than a thousand firefighters, a forest fire threatened the resort town of Monchique. After the situation seemed to be largely under control, the Situation is due to the emerging winds on Monday evening once again deteriorated, with authorities on Tuesday. 250 residents from villages around the Algarve, a nearby tourist town had been brought to safety.
Around a thousand firefighters and hundreds of soldiers fought with 330 fire-fighting vehicles, 13 aircraft, and six helicopters to the fire, which had already erupted five days ago. 30 people were injured so far. A 76-year-old woman with serious injuries was taken to a hospital in the capital, Lisbon.
15,000 hectares of Land fell to the flames for the victim. “There are some main residences are concerned, ( … ), but at the moment we are not yet able to draw up a balance sheet,” said the mayor of Monchique, Rui André, according to local media.
Like many other European countries, Portugal is experiencing currently a heat wave with temperatures of more than 45 degrees. In the previous year were devastating forest 114 people fires have been killed in Portugal. Against this Background, the authorities had already set several days ago a contingency plan in place to prevent forest fires and to use forces to quickly mobilize.
Also in the neighbouring country of Spain, the forest raging fires. In the province of Valencia, a fire destroyed about a thousand hectares of Land. In the night of Tuesday, 2,500 people had to leave their homes.
at/ks (afp)