Portugal mourns as firefighters battle deadly wildfire
MORE than 1,000 firefighters yesterday battled a giant forest fire that swept through central Portugal at the weekend, killing at least 62 people.
The country was in mourning after the deadliest such disaster in Portugal’s recent history, with many victims burnt as they were trapped in their cars.
“The fire has reached a level of human tragedy that we have never seen before,” said a visibly moved Prime Minister Antonio Costa, who announced three days of mourning from Sunday.
Portugal’s national route 236 was transformed into a road of hell as the ferocious blaze ripped through the wooded countryside around the epicentre in Pedrogao Grande.
Although the searing temperatures in Portugal had dropped slightly yes- terday, the fire was still raging, spreading to neighbouring regions of Castelo Branco and Coimbra. Firefighters were continuing a grim search for bodies, with Costa warning on Sunday that the death toll could still rise.
Police Chief Almeida Rodrigues blamed dry thunderstorms for the blaze that broke out on Saturday in Pedrogao Grande, saying a tree had been struck by lightning.
The expanse of wooded hills in the area north of Lisbon, which 24 hours before had glowed bright green with eucalyptus plants and pine trees, was gutted by the flames.
A thick layer of white smoke blanketed either side of a motorway for about 20 kilometres on Sunday, as blackened trees leaned listlessly over charred soil.
Secretary of State for the Interior Jorge Gomes said 18 of those burned to death had been trapped in their cars engulfed by flames on the road between Figueiro dos Vinhos and Castanheira de Pera.
Other bodies were found in houses in isolated areas. At least three villages near Pedrogao Grande were evacuated.
Another 62 people were injured, with five in a critical state including a child and four firefighters.
The international community stepped in to help, with the European Union and neighbouring Spain offering water-bombing planes
Portugal was sweltering under a severe heatwave over the weekend, with temperatures topping 40 degrees Celsius in several regions.
About 35 forest fires continued to burn across the country yesterday, with more than 2,000 firefighters and 660 vehicles mobilised.