600 Portuguese firefighters battle deadly blazes
8/23/2013TONDELA, Portugal — More than 600 Portuguese firefighters are battling six new wildfires a day after one firefighter was killed and nine others injured when gusting winds caused a fire to change direction.
Portugal’s National Civil Protection agency said water-bombing planes were also being used to fight fires today in north-central Portugal.
In the hills near the small city of Tondela, Commander Antonio Ribeiro of the Serra de Caramulo firefighters said the crew ran from the flames and smoke Thursday but the firefighter who died fled in the wrong direction. That fire was brought under control late Thursday, but the agency said firefighters faced new six forest fires elsewhere in the region.