Hundreds of firefighters battle blaze near Lisbon | Inquirer News

Hundreds of firefighters battle blaze near Lisbon

/ 11:16 AM August 01, 2022
Hundreds of firefighters battle blaze near Lisbon

A couple looks at each other as smoke rises from a wildfire in Venda do Pinheiro in Mafra, Portugal, July 31, 2022. REUTERS

MAFRA, Portugal — Hundreds of firefighters battled a blaze raging in a Portuguese municipality near the capital Lisbon on Sunday as high temperatures and strong winds made it harder to put out the flames.

Backed by water-bombers and 123 vehicles, more than 400 firefighters were brought in after a fire erupted in a mountainous area of the municipality of Mafra at around 3 p.m. local time (1400 GMT) on Sunday.

ADVERTISEMENT

A huge cloud of black smoke billowed over the town of Venda do Pinheiro, in Mafra, with the fire forcing authorities to block several roads and evacuate a care home. Many locals left their homes out of fear.

Smoke rising from the fire could be seen from Lisbon’s city center, around 33 km (21 miles) south, according to a Reuters witness.

FEATURED STORIES

Hundreds of firefighters battle blaze near Lisbon

People play basketball as a wildfire grows in Venda do Pinheiro, Mafra, Portugal, July 31, 2022. REUTERS

Other fires were raging elsewhere in Portugal, including in the central municipality of Ourem, where flames destroyed thousands of hectares two weeks ago. More than 1,000 firefighters were mobilized across the country.

Like other European nations, Portugal experienced a scorching heatwave in recent weeks, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104°F) in various parts of the country. Although the heat has eased, temperatures are climbing again.

Weather agency IPMA said three districts in northern Portugal would be on “red alert” for extreme heat on Monday.

RELATED STORIES

Portugal reports more than 1,000 heat-related deaths

Eldery couple found dead in burned-out car as Portugal wildfires rage

ADVERTISEMENT

Portugal battles forest fires amid heatwave

Portugal, Spain on wildfire alert as heatwave kicks in

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

Click here for more weather related news.

Read Next
Don't miss out on the latest news and information.

Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.

TAGS: Heatwave, Lisbon, Portugal, Weather, wildfire
For feedback, complaints, or inquiries, contact us.
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.



© Copyright 1997-2023 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. To find out more, please click this link.