Wildfires kill at least seven people in Portugal

The Star

Wildfires that broke out on Sunday (Sept 15) continue to devastate central and northern Portugal, with at least seven fatalities, including three firefighters, and over 40 people injured, local authorities reported on Tuesday.  Read more at https://tinyurl.com/3wnacph4  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

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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 Condeixão 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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