Coimbra wildfires: 700 firefighters battle three major blazes

More than 700 firefighters are battling three major wildfires across the Coimbra district in Portugal. The National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) has deployed 723 operatives, 204 vehicles, and 15 aerial units to the municipalities of Arganil, Cantanhede, and Tábua.

In Arganil, a large fire in Murganheira was declared under resolution on Tuesday after several days of activity. During the operations, three firefighters were injured: the commander of the Arganil Volunteer Firefighters sustained a fracture after being struck by a National Republican Guard vehicle, and two others received treatment for smoke inhalation.

A separate blaze in Tábua, specifically in the Mouronho area, advanced toward the villages of Mouronho and Pousadouros. While the area was eventually declared free of danger with no homes lost, the difficulty of the combat and the dispersed nature of the fire fronts have led authorities to suspect arson.