“It was with great consternation that I learned of the death of firefighter João Silva, victim of sudden illness while fighting the fire in Oliveira de Azeméis. On my own behalf and on behalf of the Government, I offer my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and fellow firefighters”, wrote Luís Montenegro on the social network X.

The firefighter, who was also assisted at the scene by an INEM team, belonged to the São Mamede de Infesta fire brigade, a source from the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority told Lusa.

The fires raging in the Aveiro district are causing traffic jams on the A1, A25 and A29 motorways today, and the GNR is urging drivers to stay away from the fire zones.

According to the official Civil Protection website, at 9:45 am, three rural fires were being fought in the Aveiro region, considered "significant incidents": in Albergaria-a-Velha, with 57 firefighters, 16 vehicles and one aircraft; Sever do Vouga, with 164 firefighters, 56 vehicles and one aircraft; and Oliveira de Azeméis, with 517 firefighters, 164 vehicles and four aircraft.

In Albergaria-a-Velha, the fire that started on Sunday in the neighbouring municipality of Sever do Vouga reached homes in Cruzinha and Vila das Laranjeiras this morning. In the municipality, the authorities have already evacuated the Brandão Gomes neighbourhood.

In Oliveira de Azeméis, two of the three fronts of the fire that also broke out on Sunday afternoon were still active at 7:30 today and one was already "more controlled", a source from Civil Protection told Lusa.

The smoke caused by the flames forced the evacuation of the Vale do Rio hotel on Sunday night, as a precaution, but the source was unable to say whether the evacuated people had already returned.

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