Wildfires Ravaging Northern Portugal: A Test of Endurance

Severe wildfires have spread uncontrollably in northern Portugal, resulting in seven deaths and straining firefighting resources. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro declared a state of calamity and called for increased efforts to combat the blazes. The European Union cites these events as evidence of climate breakdown.

More than 100 wildfires have pushed firefighters to their limits in northern Portugal, leading to seven deaths since the worst outbreak in recent years began over the weekend.

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro declared a state of calamity in the most affected areas on Tuesday night, enabling the mobilization of more firefighters and civil servants. He urged intensified police efforts to apprehend those responsible for starting the fires and promised assistance to those displaced or who lost their homes.

In a televised address, Montenegro stated, "These difficult hours are not over yet. We must give everything we have and seek help from our partners and friends to protect our people and property." The wildfires coincide with flooding in central Europe, a situation the European Union describes as a "climate breakdown."

(With inputs from agencies.)