Orem Mayor Luis Albuquerque told Lusa this Thursday that 60% of the fires are of criminal origin after another fire in the municipality.
In recent years, the municipality of Ourén in Santarem County has been subject to frequent fires. Luis Albuquerque said there were “60 fires” in the municipality this summer alone.
“Sixty percent of the arson is considered deliberate. It is necessary to strengthen the supervision of forests and send more funds to the field to see if we can identify the criminals who carry out this service,” the mayor stressed.
Luis Albuquerque, who said he is not yet aware of the area burned in the fire that started on Wednesday, insisted on the need to “strengthen the authorities’ prevention and investigation measures.”
A large number of militants remain on the ground to ensure the aftermath, the official said.
Albuquerque also warned that “there is still a lot of work ahead.”
With temperatures dropping, Luis Albuquerque was cautious: “We’ll see what happens in the next few days.”
At 5:06 a.m., the Urqueira fire was considered contained, Commander Elisio Pereira of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) told Luz.
According to the ANEPC website, at 10:06 a.m., there were 431 operational personnel, supported by 134 vehicles and the Air Force.
The fire broke out at 18:33 in Estreito, Urqueira, Ourén municipality.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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