Post by Jaga on Jun 21, 2017 22:11:58 GMT -7
This happens over and over again. Portugal has forests prone to fast, incontrollable and deadly fires. Eucalyptus trees are very flammable and can travel a long distance starting more fires, people are dying in their cars, I saw videos showing fire fighters sleeping after many hours of fighting against the fire:
www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40343074
Portugal fires: Varzeas mourns villagers who fled
By James Reynolds BBC News, Varzeas, Portugal
20 June 2017
From the section Europe
Image copyright Juan Dominguez, BBC
Image caption Varzeas after the blaze: Some homes were hit, but others remained unscathed
"We heard a massive noise from the forest," Amilcar Ferreira remembers.
To emphasise, he blows out his cheeks.
"And then we saw the flames."
"We'd never seen anything like it before," says Waldemar de Jesus Lopez. "It all happened in just a few seconds."
In the moments after the forest fire started on Saturday afternoon, the people of Varzeas knew they had to act quickly.
Their village stands on a hillside, surrounded by woodland. Should they stay at home and risk getting caught by the flames? Or drive away in search of safety?
Deadly route
Mario Pinhal and his family fled in two cars. He took his parents and godmother in one car. His wife Suzana drove ahead with their daughters Joana and Margarida.
The family drove a short distance towards the nearest main road - the N236-1. The road is lined on either side by forest. On Saturday afternoon, fires quickly engulfed the trees and then, horrifyingly, the road itself.
Smoke and flames caught and killed dozens of people escaping in their cars, including Suzana, Joana and Margarida. Mario Pinhal and his parents, travelling behind, managed to escape.
"I regret leaving home," Mario Pinhal told Portuguese TV. "Regardless of everyone's kind efforts, all I want is to have my wife and daughters back."
"We should have died instead," Mario's mother cried to a relief worker. "Nobody would miss us. How can I explain that I will go to my granddaughters' funerals?"
www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40343074
Portugal fires: Varzeas mourns villagers who fled
By James Reynolds BBC News, Varzeas, Portugal
20 June 2017
From the section Europe
Image copyright Juan Dominguez, BBC
Image caption Varzeas after the blaze: Some homes were hit, but others remained unscathed
"We heard a massive noise from the forest," Amilcar Ferreira remembers.
To emphasise, he blows out his cheeks.
"And then we saw the flames."
"We'd never seen anything like it before," says Waldemar de Jesus Lopez. "It all happened in just a few seconds."
In the moments after the forest fire started on Saturday afternoon, the people of Varzeas knew they had to act quickly.
Their village stands on a hillside, surrounded by woodland. Should they stay at home and risk getting caught by the flames? Or drive away in search of safety?
Deadly route
Mario Pinhal and his family fled in two cars. He took his parents and godmother in one car. His wife Suzana drove ahead with their daughters Joana and Margarida.
The family drove a short distance towards the nearest main road - the N236-1. The road is lined on either side by forest. On Saturday afternoon, fires quickly engulfed the trees and then, horrifyingly, the road itself.
Smoke and flames caught and killed dozens of people escaping in their cars, including Suzana, Joana and Margarida. Mario Pinhal and his parents, travelling behind, managed to escape.
"I regret leaving home," Mario Pinhal told Portuguese TV. "Regardless of everyone's kind efforts, all I want is to have my wife and daughters back."
"We should have died instead," Mario's mother cried to a relief worker. "Nobody would miss us. How can I explain that I will go to my granddaughters' funerals?"