(ANSA-AFP) – MANTEIGAS, AUGUST 11 – More than 1,500 firefighters were mobilized this morning to tackle a forest fire that has raged for several days in the Serra da Estrela natural park, a mountainous region in central Portugal.
The fire, which broke out on Saturday in the municipality of Covilha, has not yet been extinguished: a dozen air vehicles are active to “continue the extinguishing work”, explained the commander of civil protection Miguel Cruz to the public television channel RTP. A campsite and a river beach in the area had to be evacuated as a precaution on Wednesday.
The fire, which on Wednesday had an estimated perimeter of 25 kilometers, has already consumed about 10,000 hectares, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).
The Serra da Estrela Natural Park extends over 100,000 hectares on the highest mountain in mainland Portugal, which reaches an altitude of around 2,000 meters.
This site was classified as a World Geo-Park by UNESCO in 2020 due to its exceptional geological heritage. (ANSA-AFP).
Source: Ansa
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