39 Active Wildfires Sweep Portugal
(MENAFN) Portugal is currently grappling with 39 active wildfires, among which nine are classified as major and are burning across the country from north to south, the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) disclosed on Wednesday.
The most severe incidents are concentrated in Penamacor, Arouca, Santarem, and Ponte da Barca, where nearby residents face significant danger.
Commander Elisio Pereira of ANEPC told a news agency that safeguarding communities is the highest priority, highlighting that the need to protect vulnerable populations "requires a dispersion of resources to prevent fires from reaching homes, which in turn makes firefighting efforts more difficult."
Despite the escalation, ANEPC announced that no additional ground teams are expected overnight, as extra personnel and equipment have already been deployed across the affected areas. According to the latest figures, 2,731 emergency workers and 881 land vehicles are actively engaged in combating the nine largest fires. Medical teams have treated twenty individuals, including 14 firefighters.
The European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) reported that by Tuesday, wildfires have scorched 292,855 hectares across the European Union in 2025—almost double the long-term average of 152,000 hectares—making it the worst wildfire season in five years. In Portugal alone, approximately 72,000 hectares have burned, consistent with the country’s average annual figures.
The fire in Arouca, situated in the Aveiro district, currently commands the largest firefighting operation. Commander Helder Silva, leading efforts in the region, warned that changing wind patterns could push the flames toward residential zones.
The situation in Ponte da Barca, within the northern district of Viana do Castelo, is even more critical. Fires have rapidly advanced overnight. Mayor Augusto Marinho voiced serious concerns about the threat to Germil, a village located in the Peneda-Geres National Park.
Compounding the crisis, a new wildfire ignited Wednesday morning in Pinhancos, Seia municipality (Guarda district). A team of 171 firefighters, supported by six aircraft, has been dispatched to contain the blaze.
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