00:00Three firefighters died in Portugal on Tuesday while en route to battle a blaze, as wildfires
00:08continue to rage across the central and northern regions of the country, bringing the death
00:13toll to at least seven.
00:15More than 40 injuries were reported as authorities evacuated several villages overnight.
00:21The fires have destroyed dozens of homes and forced the closure of major roads and highways.
00:28Portugal is currently battling over 50 active wildfires, with around 5,300 firefighters
00:34mobilized and has requested assistance from the European Union.
00:40Portugal has triggered the civil protection mechanism.
00:42This is basically the solidarity of all of Europe to support as much as possible, in
00:47kind, at the moment being of crisis, the member state.
00:52As of Tuesday afternoon, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority is coordinating
00:58efforts to contain four major fire outbreaks in the Aveiro district, which have spread
01:03across an area with a perimeter of roughly 100 kilometers.
01:08Authorities have arrested three individuals, a man and two women, from the municipalities
01:12of Pombal, Alvaiazare and CondeixĂŁo Nova, in connection with the fires.
01:18In response to the escalating crisis, the Portuguese government has extended the national
01:23alert level until Thursday.
01:25Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, along with other political and religious leaders,
01:30has expressed condolences and solidarity with those affected.
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