In a response sent to Lusa news agency, the Public Security Police, responsible for managing 112, indicated that on the days when the fires raged in the northern and central regions, between 15 and 19 September, approximately 9,000 calls related to the fires were received, an increase in the number of daily calls.

“Considering only the period from September 16 to 18, 2024, 112 received an average of approximately 22,500 calls, which represents an average increase of 3,000 calls per day during this period”, the police force states.

The PSP also reports that the peak in calls to 112 occurred between 7:00 am and 1:00 pm on the 16th (Monday) and the day with the most calls was 17 September (Tuesday).

Porto, Aveiro, Braga, and Viseu, the areas most affected by the fires, were the districts with the highest number of calls to 112.

Nine people died and 175 were injured due to the fires that hit last week, mainly in the North and Center regions of the country. The National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority excludes from this count the two civilians who died of sudden illness.

These fires caused 135 thousand hectares of burnt area, according to the European Copernicus system, and destroyed dozens of houses.