Mayor reinforces request for more resources to relieve exhausted personnel

The mayor of Vila Real says that "there are silences that scream," referring to the lack of response to the municipality's "successive calls for increased resources." He also specified that he has not yet been contacted by either the Prime Minister or the Minister of Internal Affairs.

By late afternoon, Alexandre Favaios told reporters that at least 25 villages had been affected, and the flames had spread 12 kilometers. "What can I say to the men and women on the ground who have been fighting so intensely these past few days? To the population, the firefighters, the GNR? They're tired and can't go on anymore," he confessed.

In an indignant tone, he appealed to those "who can put an end to this situation, please help us." "I don't know what I can do right now, other than make this appeal: to actually put people on the ground, to refresh these officers."

The situation was assessed in the village of Paredes, which is currently causing the greatest concern.

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Calling again for all resources to be mobilized to combat the fire that started 11 days ago, the mayor believes that the resources on the ground are insufficient.

"We are on alert. Our responsibility is clear. There is a decree that states that the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority has the autonomy to mobilize all resources at its disposal to deploy them on the ground. That's what we're asking for. That's all, and nothing more," he said.

Not hiding his frustration, Alexandre Favaios says it's best to call the region "the former marvelous kingdom" given the dark landscape that marks the Alvão mountain range.

The fire in that area of the municipality started at 11:45 p.m. on August 2nd and has already been extinguished. However, it flared up twice, once on Saturday and again on Monday afternoon.

According to the website of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), at 8:40 pm, 486 operators and 164 vehicles were mobilized for this incident.