LISBON, July 31 (Xinhua) -- The area burned by wildfires in Portugal since the beginning of the year has nearly reached 30,000 hectares. According to the Integrated Rural Fire Management System (SGIFR), the burned area more than doubled in just five days.
As of last Friday, the SGIFR portal indicated that more than 12,000 hectares had burned across Portuguese territory. By Wednesday, the figure had risen to 29,000 hectares. Over five days, the fires across Portugal consumed nearly 17,000 hectares.
According to SGIFR, 14 percent of fires recorded from the start of the year until Wednesday were of criminal origin, accounting for 4 percent of the total burned area. Another 21 percent were triggered by improper use of fire, such as land clearing burns, firework launches, garbage burning, or discarded cigarette butts.
Aas of Thursday noon, there were 87 active wildfires across Portugal, according to the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC).
Monday, July 28, was the most severe day in terms of fire impact. More than 10,000 hectares of brush and forest burned within 24 hours. ■
