About 1K Firefighters Battle Forest Fires in Portugal

    July 22, 2019
    More than 300 fire apparatus have been deployed on two fronts to put out blazes near the districts of Vila de Rei and Macao, about 125 miles northeast of Lisbon.

    Source dpa, Hamburg, Germany

    Associated Press Screen Shot
    About 1,000 firefighters and more than 300 apparatus have been deployed to battle forest fires near the districts of Vila de Rei and Macao.
    About 1,000 firefighters and more than 300 apparatus have been deployed to battle forest fires near the districts of Vila de Rei and Macao.

    LISBON, SPAIN—About 1,000 firefighters continued to battle forest fires raging in central Portugal on Monday, according to local media.

    The fires near the districts of Vila de Rei and Macao, about 125 miles northeast of Lisbon, had died down somewhat, but several villages were still in danger, Publico newspaper reported, citing civil protection authorities.

    The firefighters are deploying more than 300 vehicles on two separate fronts, the report said.

    Temperatures of up to 40 degrees, low humidity and strong winds made it difficult to fight the flames, which have been raging since Saturday afternoon.

    At least eight people were injured over the weekend by blazes and several homes destroyed.

    Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa cancelled all appointments over the weekend to follow the fight against the fires.

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