Viseu, Portugal, Aug. 15, 2025 (Lusa) - Villages are being surrounded by flames in the districts of Viseu and Guarda, the Civil Protection commander on the ground told Lusa news agency. He said that "all the locations have been identified" and the resources have been localised.
"Mainly in the northern part of the fire, Penedono, Sernancelhe, São João da Pesqueira, but also in Aguiar da Beira there are a number of risk situations, because that's where the fire is most intense," the second regional commander for the Centre told Lusa at 15:10.
Jody Rato also acknowledged that "there are several villages surrounded by flames", but preferred not to identify them, "not only because there are several, but so as not to create alarm, because there are resources in all of them working to quickly overcome the situation".
The commander stressed that "the firefighters are all carrying out perimeter defences, because the defence of people and property is first and foremost, followed by combat".
"All situations are being monitored," he said.
The villages are all over the region affected by the fire, which started in two towns, Sátão (Viseu district) and Trancoso (Guarda district) and is now in 10 municipalities in the two districts.
The fire affects the municipalities of Sátão, Sernancelhe, Moimenta da Beira, Penedono. It is "already entering" São João da Pesqueira (Viseu district), Aguiar da Beira, Trancoso, Fornos de Algodres, Meda and Celorico da Beira (Guarda district).
The alert for the Freches fire, in the municipality of Trancoso, Guarda district, went out on Saturday, 9 August at 17:21.
By 3.15 p.m., 497 firefighters were fighting the blaze, supported by 173 vehicles, according to the official website of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC).
The Vila Boa fire, in the parish of Ferreira de Aves, in Sátão, in the district of Viseu, was alerted at 01:03 on Wednesday, 13th and the same day reached the municipalities of Sernancelhe, also in the district of Viseu, and Aguiar da Beira, in the district of Guarda.
At 15:15, 1,013 operatives were fighting the fire, supported by 324 vehicles and 10 aircraft, according to the official website of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC).
IYN/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
