Portugal mourns the victims of forest fire that killed at least 62 people and is still raging

Record ID: 896090

  • Title: Portugal mourns the victims of forest fire that killed at least 62 people and is still raging
  • Date: 19th June 2017
  • Summary: MACA DE DONA MARIA, PORTUGAL (JUNE 19, 2017) (REUTERS) SUN RISING OVER FOREST COVERED IN SMOKE ROAD COVERED IN SMOKE SUNRISE PEDROGAO GRANDE, PORTUGAL (JUNE 19, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF FIRE STATION FIREFIGHTER WAITING NEXT TO CAR FIREFIGHTER CARRYING BAG VOLUNTEER HANDLING BOTTLES OF WATER FIREFIGHTERS TALKING WITH WOMAN VOLUNTEERS SORTING FOOD FOR FIREFIGHTERS AND PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE WILDFIRE / AMBULANCE DRIVING PAST AMBULANCE ON ROAD VARIOUS OF SOLDIER FILLING POT WITH WATER VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS EATING VARIOUS OF FIREFIGHTERS TRUCKS DRIVING FIREFIGHTERS NEAR VEHICLE LISBON, PORTUGAL (JUNE 19, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PORTUGAL PARLIAMENT WITH FLAG AT HALF MAST (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) LISBON RESIDENT, JOAO FARINHA, SAYING: "Prevention? Every year during summer time there are fires in Portugal, if they were not expecting the heat they should be paying attention to geography and I know what I'm saying: I studied geography, it is like diseases, the best cure it's prevention and for fire the best cure it's prevention, then who can we blame? The winds, the spirits? We should be prepared." (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PEDROGAO GRANDE NATIVE WORKING IN LISBON IN TOURISM, JOSE LOPES, SAYING: "Unfortunately a disgrace. People went there for the weekend to enjoy their swimming pool. Who would say that they would die burned inside their cars?” NEWSPAPERS ON DISPLAY FRONTPAGE OF "DIARIO DE NOTICIAS" NEWSPAPER WITH BLANK PAGE WITH LETTERS READING (Portuguese) "PEDROGAO GRANDE, JUNE 2017, IN MEMORIE OF VICTIMS" FRONTPAGE OF "I" NEWSPAPER WITH BLACK PAGE AND LETTERS READING (Portuguese) "PORTUGAL CRIES FOR PEDROGAO GRANDE" (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PEDROGAO GRANDE NATIVE WORKING IN LISBON IN TOURISM, JOSE LOPES, SAYING: "We have fires every year but this year that fire was not like the ones in the past, it was a lightning from a storm. It wasn't an arson, no one set this fire, we never saw one like this on. I never saw... so many dead, so many disgraces and is still burning." VARIOUS OF PRESIDENTIAL PALACE WITH FLAG AT HALF MAST
  • Embargoed: 3rd July 2017 09:16
  • Keywords: forest fire flags newspapers firefighters sunrise haze
  • Location: PEDROGAO GRANDE, MACA DE DONA MARIA AND LISBON, PORTUGAL
  • City: PEDROGAO GRANDE, MACA DE DONA MARIA AND LISBON, PORTUGAL
  • Country: Portugal
  • Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Fires
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016LY07K7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Firefighters in Pedrogao Grande were readying on Monday (June 19) to battle the forest fire that has killed at least 62 people and has been raging since Saturday (June 17).
    Most victims were caught in their vehicles on the road whilst fleeing the flames that destroyed their homes. The prime minister said the death toll could rise as firefighters inspected charred remains of some buildings in remote villages.
    Portugal Prime Minister Antonio Costa said the emergency services acted as fast as they could but acknowledged that some of the efforts like alerting the population might have been hindered because the blaze had ruined phone lines and communications towers.
    Some local residents said they had been left without firefighters for hours as their homes burned. Many blamed poor forestry reserve planning and depopulation of remote villages that left many wooded areas untended.
    Police said a lightning strike on a tree probably caused the blaze on Saturday in a region hit by an intense heat wave and dry, gusty winds, which has fanned the flames.
    In the capital Lisbon, flags floated at half mast and newspapers offered blank or black frontpage to commemorate the victims.
    The government declared three days of mourning and sent two army battalions to help the emergency services. The European Union said it would provide firefighting aircraft. France has offered three planes and Spain has sent two, authorities said.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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