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Wildires Rage Across Portugal, Five Villages Evacuated
Lisbon (AFP) Jul 21, 2005 More than 2,000 firefighters battled blazes that raged across Portugal on Thursday, including two major outbreaks in the centre of the drought-hit country which forced the evacuation of five more villages. Emergency services workers removed residents of two villages near the central mountain town of Seia because of the approach of flames from a wildfire which has burned for three days, the civil protection agency said. Local officials said resources were stretched and firefighters were beginning to show signs of fatigue. "It is very complicated, very serious and it is far from being brought under control," the mayor of Seia, Eduardo Brito, told state television RTP. "I hope there is a way to substitute men who have been fighting the fire for more than 24 hours, without sleeping. They are reaching the limit of their strength," he added. More than 300 firefighters were battling the wind-fueled fire in an area of thick woods which had left behind a trail of charred cars, farm equipment and homes, fire officials said. The flames have also destroyed telephone and electricity poles, knocking out power to the region and making it difficult to contact area residents. Some 200 residents from six other nearby villages spent the night at emergency shelters after they were evacuated from their homes late Wednesday. Another fire near the central mountain town of Arganil led firefighters to evacuate three nearby villages. The charred body of a man in his 60s was found near his home in the region on Wednesday. Firefighters suspect he was caught up in the flames as he tried to flee the blaze. "There is a huge joint effort under way to combat the fires but before such a difficult enemy all of us together are too few," Interior Minister Antonio Costa told reporters during a visit to the region. Wildfires have destroyed over 38,000 hectares (93,000 acres) of brush and forests so far this year and claimed the life of six firefighters. The fires have erupted as Portugal is facing its worst drought in over six decades. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express Nuclear Space Technology at Space-Travel.com
Envisat Sees Smoke From Europe's Worst Peacetime Fire
London, England (SPX) Dec 13, 2005London is completely blanketed by the black plume of smoke from Europe's worst peacetime fire in this Envisat image, taken within five hours of the blaze beginning. |
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