It’s been a year for record weather with record heat hitting tourist destinations around the world. Due to all the heat and drought, summer fires have broken out all over the world. Unfortunately, some of these have now become deadly in Europe.
Deadly forest fires in Portugal
Tourists have been put on high alert in Portugal where some of the wildfires raging across the country have now turned deadly.
With temperatures well above 86 degrees Fahrenheit, an unusually high temperature in areas without much use of air conditioning, northern and central Portugal are the most affected by wildfires in the country.
According to news reports, at least seven people have already been killed, including three firefighters on duty.
Two female and one male firefighters were killed in a dramatic property protection operation in central Portugal near the town of Tábua in Coimbra, the local civil protection agency told the British news agency BBC.
5,000 firefighters fight 65 fires
Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro reported on the news that the country has deployed more than 5,000 firefighters and support equipment to fight the forest fires “raging throughout the country.”
On X, formerly known as Twitter, it was announced on Tuesday that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had appealed to nearby European Union countries for additional firefighters and equipment to fight the forest fires.
Prime Minister Montenegro thanked France, Greece, Italy and Spain for their “rapid and essential assistance in combating this scourge” in a message on the social media channel.
Eight water tanker aircraft were immediately deployed by the European Union to the most critical wildfire fronts to protect areas at risk of the worst damage.
Tourists affected by forest fires
According to Portuguese news media outlet Lusa, more than 37 square kilometers of land had already been burned between Porto and Aveiro in the north earlier this week.
This has led to the closure of the main thoroughfare between two major travel destinations in Portugal: the capital Lisbon and Porto.
Tourists during their holidays have been forced to reschedule their trips between the two cities or find alternative routes that require longer distances and more travel time.
Travelers have also been warned if they are in the area, or plan to visit the area, to stay abreast of official news and government authorities and be prepared to evacuate if necessary.
The U.S. Department of State continues to maintain a travel advisory level of Level 1 – Practice Normal Precautions for Portugal.
Advice for travelers
According to BBC news reports, local media have reported that hospitals in affected areas have received people with burns, breathing difficulties and other injuries from the fires.
Travelers who have breathing problems or are sensitive to wildfire smoke may want to consider other travel plans as the large number of wildfires in the northern and central parts of the country are uncontrolled.
Although there are no official reports of flight delays, tourists should plan ahead for the possible air traffic delays and flight cancellations at airports in both Lisbon and Porto due to smoke from the forest fires affecting visibility.
It is recommended to contact airlines before any travel to the affected area to receive the latest travel updates.
Visitors must also register for free with the U.S. Department of State Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for the latest advice on the US Embassy fires in Lisbon.
The same system will be used in the event that emergency news needs to be broadcast by telephone or email to US citizens in the country.
