Portugal battles wildfires with high temperatures

More than a thousand firefighters are trying to combat a forest fire in central Portugal on Sunday, as officials warned that thousands of hectares are at risk due to soaring temperatures across the country.

Around 7,000 hectares have already been burned near Castelo Branco, according to firefighting operation commander Jose Guilherme, who spoke to journalists in Borinesa Nova. 

However, he cautioned that "the potential danger of this fire is estimated to be over 20,000 hectares."

"This is an extremely vast area that includes numerous houses and isolated villages," he added, noting that the fire's radius has extended about 60 kilometers.

On Saturday, smoke and ashes spread from the fire that broke out on Friday, reaching more than 130 kilometers to the east, reaching the shrine of Fatima, where Pope Francis was visiting the country for World Youth Day events.

An additional 300 firefighters were deployed to combat fires that broke out in Odemira, near the southwestern coast of the country.

Meanwhile, Civil Protection official Tiago Bojio confirmed that there are two active fronts of fires, while a third has come under control as it was heading south towards the tourist area of Garvao.

Temperatures are expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius in some areas. Authorities warned that the risks of forest fires remain "extremely high or extreme throughout the country."



AFP