Over 1,100 firefighters and 14 water-carrying aircraft were deployed on Saturday in a monumental effort to combat an enormous forest fire that has broken out in the Castelo Branco region of central Portugal. Civil protection authorities warned that scorching temperatures and strong winds might prolong the fire’s containment for several days.
The fire has already devastated approximately 60 square kilometers of forest and shrubland. The smoke from this massive blaze even reached the Fatima shrine, where hundreds of thousands had gathered to see Pope Francis on his Vatican visit this Saturday.
As a precautionary measure, authorities evacuated about 100 villagers from the affected region. However, the civil defense commander, Judi Rato, informed journalists that there have been no reported injuries or damage to homes due to the fire.
He further mentioned that the fire, which ignited on Friday afternoon in a remote area, would require “several days of work” for containment, given the terrain’s significant amount of combustible materials.
Portugal’s government meteorological agency anticipates that temperatures in Castelo Branco will surge to 40°C on Sunday, a rise from Saturday’s 38°C.
Furthermore, a red heatwave warning was issued for the capital, Lisbon, located 200 kilometers to the southwest. It is expected to experience a sweltering 41°C on the last day of the Pope’s visit.
This forest fire, amid the papal visit, highlights the increasing challenges faced by Portugal and other countries in dealing with extreme weather events and their implications on safety and public events.
