In addition to the 50 deaths, half of which occurred in the
district of Coimbra, the fires on October 15 and 16 caused 70 injuries and
destroyed, in whole or in part, about 1,500 homes and more than 500 businesses.
The flames forced the evacuation of localities, the
relocation of populations and the blocking of traffic on dozens of roads.
The highest number of deaths was recorded in the districts
of Coimbra (13 in Oliveira do Hospital and 12 in Arganil, Pampilhosa da Serra,
Penacova and Tábua) and Viseu (17 in Carregal do Sal, Mortágua, Nelas, Oliveira
de Frades, Santa Comba Dão and Tondela). The remaining deaths occurred on the
Aveiro-Vilar Formoso highway (A25), in the areas of Sever do Vouga (Aveiro) and
Pinhel (Guarda), and in the municipality of Seia (Guarda).
The Central region experienced this tragedy just three
months after another, which had caused 66 deaths and 253 injuries. On June 17,
the flames broke out in the municipality of Pedrógão Grande, in the interior of
the district of Leiria, and spread to neighbouring municipalities.
The fires in Pedrógão Grande affected about 500 homes and
almost 50 companies, and devastated 53 thousand hectares of territory, 20
thousand hectares of which were forest.
In October, of the municipalities in the Center region
through which the flames passed, those of Castelo de Paiva and Vagos (district
of Aveiro) were most seriously affected; Oleiros and Sertã (Castelo Branco);
Arganil, Figueira da Foz, Lousã, Mira, Oliveira do Hospital, Pampilhosa da
Serra, Penacova, Tábua and Vila Nova de Poiares (Coimbra); Gouveia and Seia
(Guarda); Alcobaça, Marinha Grande and Pombal (Leiria); and Carregal do Sal,
Mortágua, Nelas, Oliveira de Frades, Santa Comba Dão, Tondela and Vouzela
(Viseu).