The Emotional Photo of Exhausted Firefighters that Went Viral

The massive wildfire that erupted two days ago in the town of Pedrógão Grande, Portugal, has claimed the lives of at least 64 people, most of whom were drivers caught in the horrific blaze while traveling on the road near the forest.

Local media reported this event as one of the worst tragedies in the country's history, despite 1,700 firefighters being involved in the firefighting operation, trying to prevent further spread of the fire.

A photo posted by one of the exhausted firefighters on his Facebook page quickly went viral, and the reason is not particularly surprising: it shows the firefighters lying exhausted on a vast lawn after tirelessly working around the clock to save more and more lives. "The firefighters did everything they could, and some of them were severely injured," said Prime Minister António Costa.

Pedro Brás, the firefighter who posted the photo on his Facebook page, wanted to show through it the tough circumstances in which he and his fellow firefighters worked to extinguish the massive fire. "After a whole day and a whole night's work, we took a 25-minute break to sleep by the river," wrote Brás. "You can see the air thick with smoke all around."

The photo has so far garnered tens of thousands of views, and quite a few likes and shares. "It's time we stop taking firefighters' work for granted," wrote one commenter. "You risk your lives for us, and you deserve the utmost respect."