Portuguese
Firefighters Struggle to Contain Wildfires
August 05, 2005 — By Associated Press
LISBON, Portugal — Strong winds and
sweltering temperatures fueled some 20 wildfires across drought-stricken
Portugal on Thursday as the number of firefighters on duty nearly
doubled compared to the previous day, authorities said.
The day began with 10 major blazes and the number doubled by
mid-afternoon as temperatures soared above 40 C (104 F). Nearly 1,600
firefighters tackled the blazes, patrolled high-risk areas or cleaned up
scorched areas, the Civil Protection Service said.
They were supported by 457 vehicles and nearly two dozen planes and
helicopters dropping water. On Wednesday, about 900 firefighters were on
duty.
Flames engulfed about a dozen rural houses, including several holiday
homes, officials said.
Most fires were in heavily wooded areas of northern Portugal. A smoky
haze from the fires covered Porto, the country's second-largest city,
television images showed.
Temperatures in some regions were forecast to reach 45 C (113 F), the
weather service said.
The Fire Prevention Agency placed most of Portugal on maximum alert as
the country endures its worst drought on record. The heat wave is
expected to continue through Saturday.
Fires have charred more than 68,000 hectares (168,000 acres) of parched
woodland this year, more than half of it last month, according to the
General-Directorate for Forests.
In neighboring Spain on Thursday firefighters battled to extinguish a
forest blaze a few kilometers (miles) from the northern city of
Pamplona.
The regional government of Navarra said three helicopters and five
planes were brought in to tackle the fire on the Monte San Cristobal,
north of the city.
Seven elderly residents were evacuated as a precaution from the small
village of Garrues, but authorities said it was no longer at risk by
early evening. There was no word on the cause of the fire.
Spain is experiencing its driest summer since record-keeping began in
the 1940s and has seen a spate of forest fires.
Last month, a blaze apparently sparked by a barbecue fire killed 11
firefighters and destroyed more than 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres) of
woodland in a nature reserve east of Madrid.
Source: Associated Press |