Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Crews Gain Control of Key Wildfires in Portugal and Spain Under Intensifying Heatwave

Forecast temperatures near 40°C with strong winds sustain maximum fire-risk alerts despite recent containment gains

Image
Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • Over 2,000 firefighters and waterbombers were deployed to seven major blazes in northern and central Portugal, bringing several fronts under control
  • Fire crews largely stabilized a 2,500-hectare fire in Caceres province and confined a blaze near El Arenal in Avila, allowing most evacuation orders to be lifted
  • Hundreds of active fires persist across the Iberian Peninsula after thousands of hectares burned this year, with dry conditions fueling new outbreaks
  • The Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere has placed vast areas under maximum to high fire-risk alerts ahead of forecast highs near 40°C and gusty winds
  • The EU Civil Protection Mechanism has coordinated international aerial support, underscoring cross-border cooperation in firefighting efforts