“The entire population between Figueiras and Mata dos Milagres must leave their homes and head to the Pavilhão dos Pousos or Municipal Stadium, door 7”, says information sent to Lusa.

At 4:30 pm, the president of the Junta dos Milagres, Mário Gomes, said that the situation in the parish is “complicated”, noting that there are no houses on fire, but “there are a lot of things destroyed by fire”.

Mário Gomes explained that Mata dos Milagres is one of the largest locations in the parish, and “the probability of the fire reaching there is great”.

According to the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection website, the fire in the parish of Caranguejeira, which has spread to others, broke out at 12:06 and by 16:50 234 operatives were on site supported by 68 vehicles and two air assets.