Portuguese firefighters are currently controlling the forest fire in the Serra da Estrela nature reserve. “The fire is under control, but it has not been extinguished,” Miguel Oliveira, a civil defense official, told TSF radio yesterday. So that the fire does not increase again, the operation in central Portugal must continue for several days.
“It is always possible and very likely that there will be an outbreak, but we hope it will not reach worrying proportions,” added Oliveira. According to the civil protection authority, nearly 1,000 firefighters were still ready to fight the forest fire.
The fire brigade brought the fire under control for the first time on Saturday, but it spread again on Monday. The forest fire in Serra da Estrela is the biggest this summer in Portugal. According to preliminary information, about 25,000 hectares of forest have already been destroyed in the mountain region.