Week 7: Maximum capacity and scaling up to Penela

Week 7 proved to be an absolute peak period for our mission in Portugal. Whilst week 6 had already been intense, the operational pressure was ramped up even further. Moreover, this week marked an important milestone: for the first time, we deployed a second operational team simultaneously, stationed in Penela.

In the Paredes de Coura region, our crews had to deal with one meandering wildfire after another. At the busiest point, our teams were even active on three different incidents simultaneously.The geographical spread of the incidents was fast; our teams were deployed from right on the Spanish border to deep within Ponte de Lima. This required the use of all available vehicle types from the local fire brigades — from manoeuvrable jeeps and specialised forest fire trucks to small and large water tankers.

The newly established team in Penela had a quieter start compared to the north, but immediately proved their value. During a persistent fire in the region, our team from Penela provided effective support to the fire brigades in Leiria.

With two active outposts and continuous deployment in the field, week 7 demanded the very best from our volunteers. Thanks to their flexibility and perseverance, critical support could be provided on several fronts simultaneously.