Portugal fights to quell raging wildfires
Portugal’s Wildfire Campaign: 2,700 Firefighters Raced 26 Aircraft
Overview of Tuesday’s Blaze Battle
Nearly 2,700 firefighters surged across Portugal on July 29, 2025, attempting to quell forest fires that have pushed the entire country to a high‑alert fire status.
Main Fires and Geographic Hotspots
- Seventeen major fires erupted across the nation, with the most intense blazes located in the central and northern regions.
- In the Arouca municipality of central Portugal, 750 firefighters were actively working to contain a eucalyptus forest blaze.
- Near the central town of Penamacor, hundreds more fought a secondary fire, while a separate blaze ignited a mountain in Ponte da Barca, close to the northern Spain border.
- Four Spanish water‑carrying planes joined the effort on Monday, bolstering the aerial fire‑fighting line.
Leadership and Air‑Support Coordination
“This is currently the fire on which we are concentrating all efforts and reinforcements,” stated Mario Silvestre, head of the National Authority for Civil Protection, during a press conference.
At the national emergency service headquarters, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro remarked, “We are experiencing a difficult moment.”
Officials reported that 26 firefighting aircraft hovered over the country, battling the raging infernos.
Injuries and Evacuation Details
- Approximately 20 people, including 14 firefighters, received treatment for minor injuries.
- The Ponte da Barca blaze, which ignited on Saturday, forced the evacuation of some residents to a local church and has preliminarily burned nearly 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) of land.
Future Outlook and Human Behaviour
Officials warned that the fires could worsen in the coming days due to the heat. “The only factor that we will be able to control in the coming days… is human behaviour,” said Silvestre.
Climate Change Connection
Like many countries, Portugal faces wildfires every summer. Experts point out that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of droughts and fires worldwide.
