Portugal’s Home Secretary Breaks ⁤Silence on Devastating⁤ Forest Fires

The Home‍ Secretary, Margarida Blasco, has finally spoken out about the devastating forest fires⁣ that have been ravaging northern and⁤ central Portugal ‌since last weekend. The ‍fires have consumed thousands ‍of hectares of forested areas, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Blasco justified her initial silence by adhering to‌ what‍ she described as “good⁢ practice,” avoiding ​”unnecessary and inappropriate interventions” in​ the ‍operational field and communication context. She emphasized that the most important thing in the ⁣past few days was to inform the population and ‍provide ⁣explanations and recommendations, which was the task carried out by‌ the Civil‌ Protection Operations Command.

The minister also‍ addressed criticism from Arouca City Council President ⁢Margarida Belém, who⁣ complained about the⁢ lack of support for the affected municipalities. Blasco denied receiving any communication from ⁢Belém, stating⁣ that she had not received any phone ​calls from the mayor.

Before providing an explanation of the actions taken by the government and the departments‌ under her supervision, Blasco‍ expressed her condolences to the families of the fire victims and ​thanked all‌ those who contributed to mitigating the devastating effects ‍of the fires.

“We have ⁤mobilized​ the largest firefighting equipment ‍in ⁤the history⁤ of our country,” Blasco declared, listing⁣ several moments of cooperation⁢ between the ‍Ministry⁤ of the Interior, the head⁣ of government, and⁢ the National Emergency and⁣ Civil Protection Agency (ANEPC). “I reported⁤ to‍ the Prime Minister on the ⁣developments in the ​situation,” ‍she confirmed.

Firefighting Efforts and Statistics

According to data from the ANEPC, a total of 1,044 fires ‌were recorded on ⁤Portuguese territory between September 14 and 18, with 416 occurring at night. During⁣ this period, the government⁤ estimated that 94,146 hectares of land were burned, with 37,772 personnel and 10,639 vehicles mobilized. In‌ addition,⁢ 827 air missions were carried out to fight ​the fires.

Fire ‍Prevention and‍ Future Response

When asked about possible failures in fire prevention, Blasco deferred her response to ​a later date, stating that a ‌report would be prepared‌ to clarify whether there were any failures. She emphasized that⁢ the government has been ⁢closely monitoring‌ changes​ in weather conditions ⁤and the risk of rural ‍fires since the beginning, strengthening⁣ prevention and⁤ surveillance efforts.

Current Situation and Response

In a situation update, the ⁢National Emergency and Civil Protection Commander, ‌André Fernández, reported that 21 fires were still active,⁢ with more than 2,100 personnel,⁣ 630 ⁤vehicles, and 25 aircraft deployed. The fire complex between the Porto metropolitan ‌area and the Aveiro region was “completely controlled and ‍stabilized” on Thursday.

The death ‌toll remains at 166,​ with the Civil Protection Service reporting five dead, 12 seriously ⁤injured, 78 slightly injured, and 71 people assisted in the operational area. Two other people died of a sudden illness caused by the fire.