The parish in the municipality of Lagos experienced moments of tension on Sunday night, when the fire that broke out in the early afternoon in Aljezur reached the Barão de São João National Forest, threatening the village.

The fire, fuelled by strong winds, forced the preventive evacuation of people from several homes during the first night and mobilised hundreds of Civil Protection personnel over the last four days.

Despite the threat of the flames, there were no casualties or major property damage, which, according to some residents Lusa spoke with, "is due to the work and prompt response of the firefighters."

Dina Teixeira, 81, was one of the first people to be evacuated from her home and taken to a temporary shelter after being "advised by the firefighters, as she is elderly and to avoid smoke inhalation."

"The fire wasn't close, but the firefighters arrived and advised me to leave the house because of the smoke," the elderly woman, a resident of an area near the village of Barão de São João, in the Lagos district, told Lusa.

For the octogenarian, the "firefighters" are true heroes, "because they not only get involved in the fire, but also show concern for the people near the flames."

“Crucially important”

The owner of a restaurant in the village also considered the firefighters' commitment to safeguarding people and property "crucially important," expressing his gratitude to "those who defy danger for the sake of others."

"The work and dedication of these men and women who leave their homes to protect others is remarkable, and despite their exhausting work, they never stopped," he noted.

For those Lusa spoke with, the firefighters' continued commitment was crucial to keeping everyone and everything safe.

"We have no complaints about the work of the firefighters, some from fire departments in other parts of the country. They were always present and supporting people. There are no words. They were tireless," he reported.

The mayor of Lagos, Hugo Pereira, also highlighted the commitment of the firefighters and the importance of operational coordination, which allowed for the safety of the population and the protection of property.

The Mayor of Aljezur, José Gonçalves, shares the opinion of his counterpart from the neighbouring municipality, noting that despite the destruction of a second home, "the worst was avoided thanks to the rapid mobilization of resources."

Under control

On Monday morning, with the fire under control and the wind giving firefighters some respite, residents were able to return to their homes safely.

The people of Barão de São João demonstrated that, even in the face of adversity, unity and gratitude are powerful forces, expressing their "deep gratitude" to the men and women who, putting their lives at risk, commit themselves to defending the lives and property of "others."

The fire started on Sunday afternoon in the parish of Bordeira (Aljezur) and quickly spread through the scrubland and pine forest to the neighbouring municipality of Lagos.

The flames spread at high speeds, reaching over 1,300 meters per hour, due to strong winds and the terrain's terrain, making firefighting difficult.

According to authorities, the fire was likely caused by agricultural work involving machinery, and an investigation by the National Republican Guard is now underway to determine the cause.

Around 700 firefighters were mobilized for the firefighting operations, supported by over 200 vehicles and 13 aircraft. Although the fire was reported to be 70% contained on Monday morning, there were several flare-ups, particularly due to moderate to strong winds.

The fire devastated an area of ​​approximately 2,000 hectares of scrubland and mixed forest (cork oaks, pines, and eucalyptus), and the destruction of a secondary house was officially recorded.

According to the National Institute of Medical Emergencies (INEM), 14 people were treated, four of whom were classified as having minor injuries but required hospital treatment.

The fire was declared under control this morning, although there are small hotspots that are being controlled and monitored to prevent further flare-ups.