Torre de Moncorvo, Portugal, Aug. 28, 2025 (Lusa) - Sheep and goat herders in the south of the Bragança district were very apprehensive on Thursday about the future of their livestock holdings due to the lack of food caused by the fire that broke out on the 15th in the Douro International.
Speaking to the Lusa news agency, Bruno Cordeiro, president of the National Association of Sheep Breeders of the Churra da Terra Quente, stated that the fire had destroyed the pastures and that renewal would not occur until March, depending on the rainfall.
"Unfortunately, the shepherds have no food for their animals. At the moment, the only food is in the manger. This [indigenous] breed of sheep is raised extensively and traditionally feeds on pasture, which makes it a very difficult situation," said the livestock producer.
According to him, the Churra da Terra Quente's diet is 100% based on natural pastures, which were burned down in the fires.
"The impact [of the fire] on the local economy is very great and I believe that many shepherds are going to abandon this livestock activity, because production costs are high and always increasing, and it's very expensive to feed the animals for about half a year, if it's going well," acknowledged Bruno Cordeiro.
Now, on behalf of the 127 breeders of this national association of sheep producers, he is asking the government for help in looking at the sector, "because it's unsustainable to keep the animals stabled".
"There are municipalities helping producers, but it's not enough," he said.
The herd of this breed of sheep, which numbers around 11,500 head, is spread across municipalities such as Torre de Moncorvo, Freixo de Espada à Cinta and Mogadouro, which were affected by the flames on 15 August. However, the animals are also scattered throughout Vila Flor, Mirandela, Carrazeda de Ansiães and Alfândega da Fé, municipalities that have also been affected by fires in recent weeks and have suffered losses to the territory's agricultural potential.
The Douro International fire broke out in the middle of the afternoon on 15 August in Poiares, in the municipality of Freixo de Espada à Cinta, and soon spread to the neighbouring municipalities of Torre de Moncorvo and Mogadouro, in the district of Bragança, leaving a trail of destruction in pastures and crops such as olive groves, almond plantations, vineyards, orange groves, forests and beehives.
According to provisional figures from the GNR, 12,000 hectares were burnt in the municipalities of Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Torre de Moncorvo and Mogadouro, in a fire that had around 400 operatives on the ground and the absence of aerial resources due to the weather conditions.
Data from the provisional national report from the Forest Fire Information Management System (SIGF), to which the Lusa news agency had access, indicates that, as of 24 August, 11,697 hectares had been burnt in Freixo de Espada à Cinta.
FYP/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
