Portugal declares National Day of Mourning due to massive fires

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) – The Portuguese government declared a National Day of Mourning on Friday due to massive fires that killed seven people and injured 166 others since Sept. 14, according to local media.

As a tribute to the victims of the fires that have been ravaging northern and central Portugal, Lisbon declared Friday a day of national mourning, according to Portuguese broadcaster RTP.

Portugal is currently battling one of its largest forest fires, with over 121,000 hectares burned, which is an area ten times the size of the capital Lisbon.

The fires burned a total of 83% of the entire national territory, according to the European Copernicus system.

In response, the government had declared a state of emergency in the hardest-hit municipalities on Tuesday.

Flags were lowered to half-mast in the country due to mourning.

It was announced that five people have been detained so far in the investigations into the fires that have destroyed dozens of homes in the districts of Aveiro, Porto, Vila Real, Braga, Viseu, and Coimbra.