More than 100 emergency operational personnel were fighting a wildfire in Montesinho Natural Park in Vinhais on Saturday, Portugal's Civil Protection agency said.
A total of 113 response workers and 42 vehicles were deployed to combat the blaze, according to the Sub-Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command of Terras de Tras os Montes. The alert for the fire was first raised at 04:36 on Saturday morning.
The fire broke out in the border parish of Moimenta and Montouto, situated inside the protected natural park in the district of Braganca. Civil Protection officials reported at around 18:15 on Saturday afternoon that no aerial firefighting assets were operating at the scene.
Firefighting operations in protected parkland
Emergency crews worked through the day to control the flames across the rugged terrain of the parkland. The command center confirmed that ground operations remained active with dozens of emergency vehicles supporting teams on the front line.
Civil Protection authorities did not state whether the flames were threatening nearby populated areas or what caused the initial outbreak in the early morning hours.
Regional emergency response
The Sub-Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command of Terras de Tras os Montes coordinates emergency services and disaster response across the Tras-os-Montes area in northeastern Portugal. The agency works alongside local fire departments to manage major wildfires in the region.
Montesinho Natural Park is a major protected natural reserve in northeastern Portugal, covering mountainous terrain along the border with Spain. The park is known for its rich biodiversity, oak forests, and isolated border villages including Moimenta and Montouto.
Fire crews remained on site into Saturday evening to maintain containment lines and prevent further spread through the park.
