Viewfinder: Confronting a Wildfire in Portugal

Author:: Pacific Standard Staff
Publish date:: Aug 11, 2017

A firefighter tackles a wildfire close to the village of Pucarica in Abrantes on August 10th, 2017. Nearly 3,000 firefighters battled 80 wildfires raging across Portugal civil protection officials said, as the return of scorching heat put an end to the respite after a spate of blazes. Some 650 firefighters backed by nine water-dropping aircraft and over 200 vehicles were at the scene of the biggest blaze in a forest near the central town of Abrantes. — A firefighter tackles a wildfire close to the village of Pucarica in Abrantes on August 10th, 2017. Nearly 3,000 firefighters battled 80 wildfires raging across Portugal civil protection officials said, as the return of scorching heat put an end to the respite after a spate of blazes. Some 650 firefighters backed by nine water-dropping aircraft and over 200 vehicles were at the scene of the biggest blaze in a forest near the central town of Abrantes.
(Photo: Patricia De Melo/AFP/Getty Images)

Seventeen-year-old Heba Seifalden Shahein, who was born with congenital amputation in one leg, trains at a riding school in Gaza City on July 5th, 2017. Heba, who lives between Norway and Gaza, started riding at the beginning of the year and she will compete in a local competition in July.

Seventeen-year-old Heba Seifalden Shahein, who was born with congenital amputation in one leg, trains at a riding school in Gaza City on July 5th, 2017.

A Libyan coast guardsman stands on a boat during the rescue of 147 undocumented immigrants attempting to reach Europe off the coastal town of Zawiyah, 45 kilometers west of the capital Tripoli, on June 27th, 2017. More than 8,000 migrants have been rescued in waters off Libya during the past 48 hours in difficult weather conditions, Italy's coastguard said.

A Libyan coast guardsman stands on a boat during the rescue of 147 undocumented immigrants attempting to reach Europe off the coastal town of Zawiyah.

Performers and revelers make their way home at the end of the Notting Hill Carnival on August 28th, 2017, in London, England. The Notting Hill Carnival has taken place since 1966 and now has an attendance of over two million people.

Performers and revelers make their way home at the end of the Notting Hill Carnival on August 28th, 2017, in London, England.

A firefighter cuts brush at the Thomas Fire on December 7th, 2017, near Fillmore, California. Strong Santa Ana winds are pushing multiple wildfires across the region, expanding across tens of thousands of acres and destroying hundreds of homes and structures.

A firefighter cuts brush at the Thomas Fire on December 7th, 2017, near Fillmore, California.

A fire-fighting Canadair aircraft flies to drop water over a fire near Carros, southeastern France, on July 24th, 2017.

A fire-fighting Canadair aircraft flies to drop water over a fire near Carros, southeastern France, on July 24th, 2017.

People gather on Fistral beach as surfers compete in a heat of the World Surf League Boardmasters Quicksilver Open at the annual Boardmasters festival on August 9th, 2017, in Cornwall, England. Since 1981, the Boardmasters surfing competition has been held in Newquay and is now part of a larger five-day surf, skate, and music festival. It attracts professional surfers from across the globe to compete on the Cornish beach that is seen by many as the birthplace of modern British surfing.

People gather on Fistral beach as surfers compete in a heat of the World Surf League Boardmasters Quicksilver Open at the annual Boardmasters festival on August 9th, 2017, in Cornwall, England.