Raging wildfires cause evacuation of two villages in northern Portugal

Record ID: 1430305

  • Title: Raging wildfires cause evacuation of two villages in northern Portugal
  • Date: 6th September 2019
  • Summary: FONTAO, PORTUGAL (SEPTEMBER 6, 2019) (REUTERS) FIRE TRUCK WITH SMOKE BILLOWING MAN UPROOTING DRY PLANTS AND TOSSING THEM INTO FLAMES FIRE RAGING FIREFIGHTERS NEAR FIRE FIRE RAGING FIREFIGHTERS HOSING FLAMES SMOKE BILLOWING, FIREFIGHTERS SMOKE BILLOWING, PLANE FLYING OVERHEAD (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) FONTAO RESIDENT, RUFINO SERRA, SAYING: "From that area down below, all the resources went back to the barracks - the National Republican Guard, firefighters from the National Republican Guard, all of them left. Half an hour had gone by and we were having lunch and I heard a bang. When I arrived at the door, the fire was already here. It happened very quickly." SERRA WALKING THROUGH HIS PROPERTY AND TRYING TO PUT OUT SMALL FIRE FIREFIGHTERS HOSING FLAMES FIRE RAGING SMOKE BILLOWING, PLANE DROPPING WATER ONTO FLAMES VARIOUS OF FIRE RAGING BY SIDE OF THE ROAD
  • Embargoed: 20th September 2019 17:14
  • Keywords: Fontao Portugal wildfire Portugal firefighters
  • Location: FONTAO, PORTUGAL
  • City: FONTAO, PORTUGAL
  • Country: Portugal
  • Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Wildfires/Forest Fires
  • Reuters ID: LVA001AVITVT3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Over 2500 firefighter were on the ground on Friday (September 6) battling three wildfires in northern Portugal that have forced the evacuation of two villages and roads to be cut off.
    The wildfires are sweeping through areas of the districts of Porto and Aveiro where two villages in the municipality of Albergaria-a-Velha were evacuated due to the proximity of the flames, Portuguese broadcaster RTP reported.
    In Fontao, firefighters managed to contain the blaze.
    Wildfires are not unusual in Portugal in the summer and have brought great destruction to the country.
    In June 2017 a massive fired in central Portugal killed 64 people and burned about 55,000 hectares (136,000 acres) in a few days. That was the worst disaster in modern Portuguese history.
    (Production: Miguel Pereira)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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