More than 1,000 firefighters are working today in northern Portugal to bring a forest fire under control, which has destroyed more than 100,000 stremmata of vegetation since Thursday and injured at least nine people, according to rescue services.

According to data from the country’s Civil Protection Agency, more than 1,100 firefighters are working to contain the flames, with the assistance of 380 fire trucks and eight aircraft or helicopters.

A military unit from Spain is also participating in the operations, responding to a request made yesterday by the Portuguese government, which activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism to receive this assistance, as well as additional firefighting aircraft.

According to a report released last night by the Portuguese Civil Protection Agency, the fire, which broke out in the municipality of Bouzela, in the Viseu region, has burned an area estimated at 100,000 stremmata.

Having been hit by a severe heat wave, Portugal is also facing its first major wildfires of the summer, which have left nine people injured, two of whom are in serious condition. One of them suffered burns and the other was injured after a fall, rescue services said.

Due to the “very hot and dry” weather, with temperatures that could reach 44 degrees Celsius in some areas, the Portuguese Meteorological Service issued a red alert today for 13 of the 18 regions of mainland Portugal. The highest-level alert will remain in effect tomorrow in seven regions in the central and southern parts of the country.

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