THE HEW YORK TIMES: More than 5,000 personnel are battling a number of wildfires, the authorities said, and the prime minister called it an “extremely difficult weather situation.”
Sweeping wildfires across Portugal this week fueled by scorching heat have caused multiple deaths, disrupted travel and prompted a coordinated response from multiple local and international governments.
The fires, caused by dry brush and exacerbated by heat and strong winds, have been concentrated in the central and northern parts of the country but have been reported all over.
At least four people have died since the fires began over the weekend, according to Publico, a national newspaper in Portugal, and residents have had to flee their homes to safety. It is unclear exactly how many acres have been burned so far, but more than 5,000 personnel were working around Portugal to get the flames under control, according to the country’s National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro of Portugal said on social media on Monday that one of the deaths was a firefighter who died of a “sudden illness” while fighting a fire in Oliveira de Azeméis, a region more than 30 miles southeast of Porto. » | Derrick Bryson Taylor | Tuesday, September 17, 2024
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