Wildfire Reaches Highest Peaks of Serra da Estrela, Threatening Portugal's Natural Landmark

Wildfire Intensifies in Serra da Estrela

A wildfire in Seia continues to burn near Alvoco da Serra, but without directly threatening homes. During the afternoon of Wednesday, the flames reached the highest parts of Serra da Estrela, according to the mayor of Seia, Luciano Ribeiro.

Caption: During the afternoon, the fire was more intense on the slopes of Serra da Estrela. Photo: Paulo Cunha / Lusa

After a night where the fire was contained, as in previous days, the flames regained intensity in the afternoon, leading to the re-imposition of confinement in Alvoco da Serra. "The village is not in danger, but the fire continues in the vicinity," noted Ribeiro.

According to the mayor, the fire was particularly intense on the slopes of Serra da Estrela, reaching the highest areas of the Natural Park. It took multiple paths, one towards Piornos and Unhais da Serra, and another towards the 'kilometer vertical'—a famous nature sports route in Alvoco leading to Torre, the highest point in mainland Portugal. By late afternoon, the fire was licking the plateau of Torre.

In addition to Alvoco da Serra, areas like Vasco Esteves de Baixo and Outeiro da Vinha remain a concern for the municipality. For the night, Ribeiro expects a repeat of recent scenarios, utilizing increased humidity and lower temperatures to contain the fire. "Yesterday [Tuesday] there was also a lot of humidity, and during the night, the fire simply didn't burn, but today it had great violence," he observed.

The plan for the night is to prevent the fire from spreading from the Alvoco valley to the glacial valley of Loriga. In response, the Seia City Council has extended the Municipal Emergency and Civil Protection Plan until Monday. A support hotline (238310242 and 917314993) has been set up for affected residents to report urgent needs, and multidisciplinary teams are on the ground to assess damages, with a focus on social emergencies.

This fire, which started in Arganil, Coimbra district, has spread to Pampilhosa da Serra, Castelo Branco, Fundão, and Covilhã districts. According to a provisional report from the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), the fire, which began a week ago, has already consumed over 40,000 hectares.