Hundreds of thousands of hectares have turned to ash! The largest fire in the country's history.

A national day of mourning has been declared due to the forest fire in Portugal that has been ongoing since Sunday, resulting in the deaths of 7 people. Since Sunday, 7 people have lost their lives and 161 others have been injured in the forest fires in Portugal. While the fight against the fire, which has turned dozens of houses to ashes in Aveiro, Porto, Vila Real, Braga, Viseu, and Coimbra, continues, the Portuguese government has declared today a national day of mourning.

FLAGS AT HALF-MAST

In a statement from the government, it was said, "On behalf of the Portuguese people, it has been decided to declare September 20, Friday, a national day of mourning to express our deep sorrow and solidarity with the tragic victims of the major fires affecting Portugal in the central and northern parts of the country throughout this week." Flags have been lowered to half-mast due to the mourning. It was reported that the burned area in the country has exceeded 121 thousand hectares, with at least 100 thousand hectares burned in the northern and central regions.

14 PEOPLE DETAINED

The investigation launched by the Portuguese police regarding the forest fires is ongoing. The police announced that they have detained 14 people this week on suspicion of having started the forest fires. It was reported that hundreds of people have been left homeless due to the fires that completely burned some villages in the northern regions of the country, such as Averio, Vila Real, Braga, Viseu, and Coimbra, and thousands of vehicles have turned to ash. The Portuguese National Emergency and Civil Protection Agency announced that although the fires are still ongoing in nearly 30 locations, they are under control.

In 2017, more than 120 people lost their lives in a forest fire in Portugal.