. S. Pedro do Sul have no aircraft to fight the fire – Observer

The fire that affects S. Pedro do Sul, in the Viseu district, which began on Monday in Arouca, is already being fought for five heavy air assets, according to information on civil protection page.

the National Civil protection Authority (ANPC) refers to 11:00 in the scene of the forest fire are 873 operating, including 688 firefighters, supported by 259 terrestrial means.

This fire the only larger proportions indicated by civil protection, began at the beginning of Monday afternoon, in the town of Janarde, Arouca municipality, Aveiro district, but has spread to the neighboring district of Viseu.

the deputy of ANPC Carlos Guerra operations had told Lusa, early in the morning, that as soon as possible, air assets available to fight this fire that has already led to the removal of people from several villages at night would be used.

“at this time [around 09:00], we are able [to act], if the situation permits in place, with eight heavy air assets available and if we can, we think that the situation can be resolved within a few hours, “he said.

the smoke produced by the fire did not allow the use of aircraft as impossible the visibility of drivers.

at about 11:00, the page gives ANPC account 56 rural fires, mobilizing operational 2,404, 798 terrestrial means and 11 air assets, with the district of Porto register 13 situations and Aveiro 11.

During the night, he said, the priority was the authorities the defense of some housing units in the fire zone, “work done without victims to register”, in addition to actions to combat the fire made, where possible, have been a reinforcement of the means.

According to the responsible, “there were plenty of places threatened by fire, people displaced from their homes for security reasons, others [that], however, came back.” About 25 people were evacuated from four villages.

The situation is “much calmer this time past that most violent period”, in the late afternoon and early evening hours on Saturday, described Carlos Guerra.

South fire of St. Peter is the one that most concerns civil protection, “the single largest asset size in the country”, started on Monday, in the county Arouca and that “developed very significantly mainly due to strong winds and high temperatures” in the sense of the municipality of S. Pedro do Sul, pointed the head.

During the Saturday morning “was very difficult the use of air assets and in some places even impossible, we had air assets on the ground all day for the inability to operate on site “due to the smoke produced by the fire, prevents visibility to pilots, said the deputy national operations.

“we are assessing the site for, according to the information we receive, proceed to the order of the eight air assets available at this time,” he added.

the aircraft available that including two in Morocco, one Italian and two Russians, are being used in other regions of the country have fire smaller proportions, as Braga, and only in S. Pedro do Sul that there are no conditions for use, summed up Carlos Guerra.