130 military personnel from the Armed Forces and the Navy have been mobilized to support the fight against the fire.

This comprises six platoons (five army platoons and one navy platoon), and two army engineering detachments with a platform and two caterpillar tractors, with a total of 130 military personnel committed.

Of these, 111 are from the Army and 19 from the Navy, with 10 light vehicles and 18 medium vehicles.

As at 16.30 hrs there were 724 firefighters, 193 support vehicles and 10 aircraft deployed.

 

Earlier SITREP 4th August 1300 hrs

At a briefing held at 1200 hrs Víctor Vaz Pinto, Commander of the Faro District Relief Operations Command, ANPC gave the following overview:

• The fire was in an area with difficult access ‘.
• The fire continues to have two active fronts with a worsening of weather conditions, from early afternoon; an increase in the intensity of the wind is expected, “sometimes with strong gusts”, and the temperature will reach 46 C with 10% humidity.
• We are implementing our plan” although there is still no forecast “when the fire will be dominated”.
• One of the two active fronts, which corresponds to 50% of the perimeter of the fire, is ‘controlled’ and ‘is in consolidation phase’.
• The other front, 20% of it “is in an inaccessible zone and is being fought by air means with the help of track machines” to open roads to the land.
• There are 710 operational personnel, supported by 180 vehicles and 11 air assets: two heavy bombers, three medium bombers, one heavy bomber helicopter, four light bombers and a reconnaissance plane deployed.
• As for the eight operatives who were injured yesterday, they are “recovered,”
• For now there is “no population in danger”. The commander confirmed that “some buildings were affected” by the flames but not a house, as it was reported. “Our great concern is the safety of the population and the combatants,” he said.
• The area affected by the fire is already 1000 hectares