Local resident's anguish as fire approaches

Record ID: 896291

  • Title: Local resident's anguish as fire approaches
  • Date: 20th June 2017
  • Summary: ALTO DA LOURICEIRA, PORTUGAL (JUNE 20, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FIRES RAGING IN THE FOREST VARIOUS OF FIRES RAGING NEAR HOUSE THAT ONCE BELONGED TO AIRES SILVA AIRES SILVA (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) LOCAL RESIDENT, AIRES SILVA, 63, SAYING: "In 1991 it was miserable, all this burned out, now again. From 1991 until today it didn't burn and we had a beautiful forest this is a misery, there's no explanation for this, our country is getting worst and worst. I don't know what the future will bring from now on." SILVA LOOKING AT FIRE FROM HILLTOP AND SMOKE RISING FIRE AND SMOKE (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) LOCAL RESIDENT, AIRES SILVA, 63, SAYING: "Other years north Portugal was a misery, but since 1991 until now it was safe, we had a marvellous forest here for around twenty years, now we will lose everything, that side is all burned, Graca, Vila Facaia, Louriceira, Ouzenda, the only part that wasn't burned was this part of the valley here, but now it's burning too, the entire region will burn." SILVA, FIRE BURNING NEAR HIS FORMER HOUSE FIRE (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) LOCAL RESIDENT, AIRES SILVA, 63, SAYING: "It's difficult for them (authorities) to resolve this situation, this is all politics, all politics." VARIOUS OF BLAZE HOUSE SURROUNDED BY SMOKE
  • Embargoed: 4th July 2017 19:41
  • Keywords: Portugal fire Forest fire wildfire
  • Location: ALTO DA LOURICEIRA. PORTUGAL
  • City: ALTO DA LOURICEIRA. PORTUGAL
  • Country: Portugal
  • Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Wildfires/Forest Fires
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016M33TQF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Aires Silva, 63, watched as the flames approached the house he lived in with his family for the first 25 years of his life in Alto da Louriceira, Portugal, part of the region affected by the country's deadliest wildfires which took 64 lives over the weekend.
    "Other years north Portugal was a misery, but since 1991 until now it was safe, we had a marvellous forest here for around twenty years, now we will lose everything, that side is all burned, Graca, Vila Facaia, Louriceira, Ouzenda, the only part that wasn't burned was this part of the valley here, but now it's burning too, the entire region will burn," he said, adding that his childhood house had been sold years ago, but it was still very sad to see it was at risk of being burned.
    More than 1,000 members of the fire brigade have been on the scene in central Portugal in order to stop the deadliest forest blaze that killed up to 64 people over the weekend, including a fireman who died from his injuries in a hospital.
    Over 70 people, including 13 firefighters, were taken to hospital on Monday (June 19) with burns and injuries as the fires ravaged the central districts of Leiria and Castelo Branco.
    Prime Minister Antonio Costa, who on Sunday (June 18) visited the affected mountainous area about 200 kilometres (125 miles) northeast of Lisbon, called it the biggest human tragedy in Portugal in living memory.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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