Latest news with #CarlosDamaso
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Two firefighters are dead and three left fighting for their lives after truck crashed while rushing to battle blaze
Two firefighters have been killed and three are fighting for their lives after their truck crashed into a ravine. The tragic incident occurred in Portugal around 7pm on Sunday in the village of São Francisco de Assis as the crew rushed to tackle a blaze in Quinta do Campo, Fundão. The vehicle veered off the road and plunged into the steep valley. One injured firefighter was airlifted by a helicopter. A total of 26 operators rushed to the scene and were supported by nine vehicles and an aircraft, according to the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC). Teams from the Covilhã and Fundão Volunteer Firefighters, the National Republican Guard and the National Institute of Medical Emergency were also deployed. AENPC paid tribute to the firefighters: 'It is never enough to emphasize the commitment, altruism and professionalism with which, every day, thousands of firefighters across the country dedicate themselves, with courage and dedication, to defending the population and the forest against fires.' They also offered condolences to the families of the victims and wished for a speedy recovery to the injured. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also spoke of on 'the tragic death' of the firefighters 'while serving the community'. For numerous days now, several thousand firefighters have been battling fires in various parts of the country. Carlos Damaso, the former mayor of the Portuguese town Guarda, died this week after trying to fight dramatic wildfires which have ravaged Europe including Spain and Greece. Nearly 4,000 firefighters are battling seven major fires across the country, in Tabuaço, Trancos, Sirarelhos, Sátão, Arganil, Vilarinho do Monte and Ermidas do Sado. Apocalyptic scenes show the countryside bathed in sickly red and orange. One horrifying photo taken in the Sernancelhe district of Viseu, Portugal, shows a raging inferno and dark clouds of smoke threatening to completely submerge a house in flames. Firefighters in Spain and Greece continued to battle Friday on a public holiday in all three countries as persistent hot, dry conditions challenged efforts to contain the blazes.
Metro
2 days ago
- Climate
- Metro
Former mayor dies trying to save town from wildfires sweeping southern Europe
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A former mayor in Portugal has died while battling wildfires that continue to sweep across southern Europe, also affecting Spain and Greece. Officials said Carlos Damaso, the former mayor of Vila Franca do Deão in northeast Portugal, was reported missing while helping fight a blaze. His body was found on Friday. Nearly 4,000 firefighters are now deployed across the country, and the government in Lisbon has joined Spain in requesting assistance from the European Union's civil protection mechanism. However, authorities in Portugal have warned they lack enough resources, while strong winds were causing blazes to spread across the country faster than firefighters could contain them. Portugal's president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, offered 'heartfelt condolences' to former mayor Damaso, and cut short a holiday to join emergency meetings this weekend. Wildfires have burned across much of Europe in the last week. In Spain, blazes have burned 610 square miles so far this year – an area roughly the size of London. There were 14 major fires burning in the country this weekend, with firefighters deployed on a public holiday on Friday as persistent heat and dry conditions made the spread ever more likely. Spain's national weather agency Aemet said temperatures had risen above 44C in several places on Saturday, warning of a very high risk of fires across 'practically the entire country'. France, Bulgaria, Albania and Montenegro have also suffered devastating fires so far amid heatwaves in August. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video And in Greece, the popular tourist island of Chios saw villages evacuated after a wildfire burned for the fourth day despite water-dropping planes and helicopters trying to halt it. More Trending While wildfires happen frequently across Europe over the summer, meteorologists say extreme weather which makes them more likely is becoming more frequent as a result of climate change. Noticed a fuzzy looking moon recently?Smoke from wildfires in Iberia and Canada have given widely hazy skies across Europe and may result in some vivid sunsets and sunrises. — Met Office (@metoffice) August 15, 2025 According to EU data, about 6,290 square km (2,429 square miles) of land has burnt across the bloc since the beginning of the year. And the Met Office said that even the UK is currently being affected as smoke carried over from the fires in Europe creates hazy conditions in parts of the country. The weather agency said the conditions will lead to brighter sunsets, combining with Saharan dust that has blown towards the country this weekend. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: We swerved a beach honeymoon for a European city break — we're itching to go back MORE: Venetians are up in arms after tourists expose 'secret' €2 gondola rides MORE: I've been going to the Algarve for years – try day trips for dodging tourists
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Climate
- Newsweek
Deadly Wildfires Engulf Europe, Killing at Least Four
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Dozens of wildfires raging across southern Europe, fueled by high temperatures, droughts, and dry fuels, have killed at least three people in Spain and one in Portugal. Newsweek has reached out to Portugal's National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority and the European Forest Fire Information System for comment via email on Saturday. Why It Matters The fires come amid record-high temperatures in the region, with dry landscapes and materials further fueling fires from Greece to Portugal, marking one of the region's worst fire seasons on record. The European Union (EU) has sent firefighting planes to help battle the blazes, with five countries having requested assistance. Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate from their homes across the region, and around 100 have been injured across countries. What To Know Spain has been hit particularly hard, with more than 14 major fires, General Director of Emergency Services Virginia Barcones told the Associated Press. Wildfires have disrupted mass transit, forcing highway closures and suspending high-speed rail service. So far this year, more than 390,000 acres have burned in the country, according to the European Forest Fire Information System. Earlier this week, Spain confirmed a third death from the wildfires, a volunteer firefighter who sustained severe burns. Spain has arrested several people on suspicion of arson. In neighboring Portugal, nearly 4,000 firefighters have battled at least seven major blazes, according to the AP. The country is currently under a state of alert until late Sunday night. The former mayor of Vila Franca do Deão, Carlos Damaso, "was killed in a fire he was fighting in his parish," Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the president of Portugal, wrote in Portuguese in a press release Friday. Burning trees are pictured during a wildfire in Carcastillo, northern Spain on August 10. Burning trees are pictured during a wildfire in Carcastillo, northern Spain on August 10. Eduardo Sanz/Europa Press via AP What People Are Saying AccuWeather wrote in an August 14 X post: "Europe is facing its worst wildfire season on record as deadly wildfires rage across France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Albania. More than 2.4 million acres have burned across Europe." Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote in a Saturday X post: "All my encouragement and strength to the four injured members of @UMEgob in the Yeres fire, in León, and to their families. I thank them for their effort and dedication and hope they recover soon." The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) wrote in a Friday X post: "This Friday, very high or extreme fire danger in most of the country. The danger will remain at very high or extreme levels during the weekend and Monday, days when the heatwave affecting us since the beginning of the month continues." 🔥 Este viernes, peligro de incendios muy alto o extremo en la mayor parte del país. El peligro seguirá en niveles muy altos o extremos durante el fin de semana y el lunes, días en los que continúa ola de calor que nos afecta desde comienzos de — AEMET (@AEMET_Esp) August 15, 2025 The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction wrote in an X post: "Europe is experiencing a devastating wildfire season – wreaking havoc on landscapes, cities, and communities." What Happens Next? High temperatures are expected to continue throughout the weekend into Monday.
Observer
3 days ago
- Climate
- Observer
Portugal wildfires claim first victim, as Spain on alert
MADRID: Portugal suffered its first death from the fires raging there, as Spain's weather agency warned of a "very high to extreme risk" of more wildfires there during Europe's intense heatwave. Further east, Greece was still fighting blazes on one Aegean island, but the situation had improved for several other southern European countries. Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced the death of the former mayor of the eastern town of Guarda, Carlos Damaso, who had been fighting the fires. The president said he had cut short his holidays and returned to work, joining a meeting of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority. For days now, several thousand firefighters have been battling fires in various parts of the country. Portugal, like Spain, has invoked the EU's civil protection mechanism to ask for help, requesting four firefighting aircraft to use until Monday, its presidency said on X. In Spain, three people have died in the fires, including two young volunteers in their thirties who lost their lives trying to extinguish a blaze in the Castile and Leon area. — AFP
Malay Mail
4 days ago
- Climate
- Malay Mail
Portugal faces first fatality as wildfires rage across Southern Europe amid heatwave
MADRID, Aug 16 — Portugal suffered its first death yesterday from the fires raging there, as Spain's weather agency warned of a 'very high to extreme risk' of more wildfires there during Europe's intense heatwave. Further east, Greece was still fighting blazes on one Aegean island, but the situation had improved for several other southern European countries. Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced the death of the former mayor of the eastern town of Guarda, Carlos Damaso, who had been fighting the fires. The president said he had cut short his holidays and returned to work, joining a meeting of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority. For days now, several thousand firefighters have been battling fires in various parts of the country. Portugal, like Spain, has invoked the EU's civil protection mechanism to ask for help, requesting four firefighting aircraft to use until Monday, its presidency said on X. In Spain, three people have died in the fires, including two young volunteers in their thirties who lost their lives trying to extinguish a blaze in the Castile and Leon area. One of them, Jaime Aparicio Vidales, was buried in the town of Quintanilla de Florez, Zamora province, Castile and Leon, yesterday. Much of the country has already endured nearly two weeks of high temperatures, and yesterday the searing heat spread to Cantabria, which had so far been spared. Temperatures in the northwestern region were forecast to pass 40C, said Aemet, the national weather agency. The risk of fires yesterday and over the weekend through to Monday was 'very high or extreme in most of the country', it added. 'Nothing left to burn' Spain has endured a devastating wildfire season, with 157,501 hectares (389,193 acres) reduced to ashes since the start of the year, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Yet that figure is still short of 2022, when more than 306,000 hectares went up in smoke. On Thursday, France sent two water-bombing planes to help try to douse the flames in the northwestern region, where a dozen fires were still raging. The railway line between Madrid and the northwestern region of Galicia remained closed, as well as 10 main roads. Marco Raton, 35, works on a pig farm in Sesnandez de Tabara near one of the fires in Castile and Leon that forced several thousand people to flee their homes. He and his friends did not think twice when they saw the fire arrive on Tuesday, he said. They grabbed 'everything we had—backpacks, fire bats and garden hoses—put on appropriate clothing and went over to help', he added. 'As soon as we arrived, we started seeing burned people being evacuated, a car on fire, a burning tractor, warehouses, garages,' he told AFP. He felt 'helpless', he added. Raton had thought there was 'nothing left to burn' after devastating fires in the same region in 2022. Now he was convinced that 'this will continue to happen to us year after year'. The mayor of Ferreruela, Angel Roman, called for fire breaks of cleared brush to be established around the villages. 'The countryside, if it's clean, can stop the fire,' he said. France on red alert Meteorologists in France, meanwhile, put the southern department of Aude—where a devastating fire has already killed one person and injured several others—on red alert. The fire, which broke out on August 5, has still not been fully extinguished and temperatures are expected to reach 40C there on Saturday. 'We are in a situation of extreme vigilance,' said Lucie Roesch, general secretary of the local prefecture. Further east, lower temperatures and reduced winds were helping to improve the situation in Greece and the Balkans, where rain was forecast in many parts of the region. Firefighters remained in Patras, Greece's third-largest city, monitoring scattered outbreaks. The most active blaze was still on the Mediterranean island of Chios, in the northeastern Aegean Sea, where eight aircraft have been deployed to try to douse the flames. The risk of fire remained high in the Attica region that includes the capital, Athens, and the southern Peloponnese peninsula, the Civil Protection agency warned yesterday. In Albania, initial government estimates said thousands of cattle had been killed and 40 homes destroyed in just three days of wildfires. — AFP
