The Portuguese National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection announced on Friday that Portugal has activated the European Union (EU) Civil Protection Mechanism in its fight against wildfires, requesting Canadair aircraft to support firefighting operations, reported Xinhua.
Mario Silvestre, national commander for emergency and civil protection, said the decision was based on the overnight and early morning developments of the fires, as well as the failure to contain the Lousa fire, which spread 30 km in three hours and now has a perimeter of 208 km.
According to Lusa News Agency, a total of 2,850 personnel have been mobilized for the six fires of greatest concern to the authorities, supported by 960 vehicles and 32 aerial assets so far.
Interior Minister Maria Lucia Amaral announced on Thursday that Portugal would remain under alert until Aug. 17, due to the heightened wildfire risk caused by weather conditions. The extended alert includes continued bans on agricultural and recreational activities in rural areas, such as access to and movement within forested zones, as well as prohibitions on bonfires, machinery use, and fireworks.
Wildfires have been affecting the country for 23 days amid an uninterrupted heat wave.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
