Seven firefighters injured as wildfires burn across four Portuguese districts

Fire outbreak

Multiple rural fires ignited on Monday afternoon across mainland Portugal, stretching resources from the northern Braga district to the southern Évora region. The most significant fire began at 13:51 in the Guarda municipality, quickly spreading through thick undergrowth and steep terrain. Within hours, operations expanded to over 250 firefighters, and by evening the fire had carved three active fronts. A separate blaze in Vila Verde, Braga, started at 11:53, while a third in Penafiel, Porto, was reported at 11:09. A fourth fire later broke out near Mourão, Évora, at 22:13, consuming a pine forest zone near the Alqueva dam.

Casualties and damage

Seven civil protection operatives were injured across the main fire zones. In Guarda, five suffered light injuries, while in Vila Verde two operatives were lightly hurt and one required assistance. Three firefighters in Guarda were treated for minor ailments: two sprains and one case of exhaustion. No serious conditions were reported. In Penafiel, several animals, including dogs and equines, were injured near Luzim. No residential evacuations were ordered, although flames briefly threatened homes in Rochoso, where residents grabbed shovels to help firefighters.

The fire continues active and not dominated, with three fronts advancing in a scrub zone on the borders of the Guarda and Sabugal municipalities, between the localities of Rochoso and Cerdeira do Coa, respectively.

Operational response

By early Tuesday, the ANEPC had deployed hundreds of operatives across all flashpoints. At 00:10, the Guarda fire was being fought by 309 personnel and 91 vehicles, while the two active fronts kept burning away from towns. The blaze in Barros, Vila Verde, had 179 operatives and 51 ground units, with substantial areas already under mop-up. Penafiel saw 209 operatives and 69 vehicles tackling one remaining front, and the Mourão fire drew 97 operatives on 10 ground units. Throughout Monday, air support varied: nine aircraft were active at 16:00 over Guarda, later reduced to seven by 20:30 as the fire shifted to less accessible, foot-slogging terrain.

Challenges ahead

Sub-regional commander Marco Lucas, coordinating all ground teams, declined to forecast when the Guarda fire might be contained. Although temperatures dropped after nightfall, early morning winds were expected to complicate firefighting on Tuesday. The flames in Guarda continued to burn in a remote area of dense scrub, complicating access and forcing crews to work on foot. The combination of rugged landscape and forecast gusts kept the situation fluid, with authorities urging residents to follow civil protection guidance and avoid affected zones.