Spanish and Italian resources arrive in Portugal to help fight wildfires

Published on 04/07/2026 - 17:32 GMT+2

The heat has reached the country and, with it, the wildfires, with the Vouzela blaze currently causing the greatest concern for the authorities and local communities. International assistance has already arrived and is now on the ground.

Two Canadair aircraft from Italy and 118 firefighters accompanied by 45 vehicles from Spain are, for now, the response to Portugal’s request for help, after the country activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism on Friday. Morocco is also expected to send resources under bilateral agreements concluded with Spain and Morocco in the field of civil protection.

In the past 24 hours, nine people have been reported injured, two of them seriously, according to an update released by the National Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), which has placed the country on alert across the entire mainland between 3 and 6 July.

The resources that reached Portugal in the early hours of Saturday are being deployed at the Vouzela fire, which has been spreading since Wednesday, at a time when the country is facing intense heat with temperatures expected to reach 44 °C in some areas.

The 118 Spanish firefighters and 45 support vehicles are already assisting Portuguese crews in fighting this blaze, and the aerial resources from Spain and Italy are expected to "start operating on Sunday", the European Commission’s spokesperson told RTP – Antena 1 (source in Portuguese).

The fire that broke out in Vouzela, in the district of Viseu, had already consumed 11,000 hectares by 16.00 on Saturday. According to ANEPC’s website, at 16.00 on Saturday, 1,238 firefighters, backed by 411 vehicles and six aircraft, were fighting the Vouzela blaze.

The Portuguese government has introduced special measures, including a ban on entering forest areas and restrictions on the use of certain types of machinery in rural zones.