Castelo Branco, Portugal, Aug. 19, 2025 (Lusa) - The districts of Castelo Branco, Bragança and Guarda have national roads cut off and one main route closed due to the fires, the National Republican Guard (GNR) said on Tuesday.

In a statement released at 3.35 p.m. today, the GNR said that in the Castelo Branco district, the EN 238 (in both directions), between Lavacolhos and Castelejo, and the EN 352 (in both directions), between Vale Palaio and São Vicente da Beira, are closed to traffic.

In the Guarda district, three roads are closed: the EN 230 (in both directions), between Barriosa and Covilhã, the EN 231 (in both directions), between Pedras Lavradas and Cruz Fontão, and the EN 233 (in both directions), near Três Povos, Quintas do Anascer, Terreiro das Bruxas and Vale da Senhora da Póvoa.

In the Bragança district, the IP 2 is closed to traffic (in both directions) between the Lodões junction and the Trindade junction.

The GNR recalled that the protection of people and property continues to be one of its priorities and called on everyone to contribute to preventing and fighting the fires, as well as observing the prohibitions defined in the declaration of the alert situation throughout mainland Portugal.

Mainland Portugal has been affected by multiple rural fires since July, especially in the north and centre of the country, in a context of high temperatures that prompted the declaration of an alert situation on 2 August.

The fires have caused two deaths, including a firefighter, and several injuries, most of them minor, and have totally or partially destroyed first and second homes, as well as agricultural and livestock holdings and forest areas.

Portugal activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism, under which two Fire Boss aeroplanes arrived to reinforce the fight against the fires.

According to provisional official figures, by 19 August, more than 201,000 hectares had burned in the country, more than the area burned in the whole of 2024.

CCC/ADB // ADB.

Lusa