4 killed as wildfires driven by heat and wind wrack Portugal
LISBON, Portugal — Wildfires raged unabated in Portugal on Wednesday, killing at least four people, burning down dozens of houses and sending people fleeing in panic, as well as charring huge areas of forest.
The National Civil Protection Service reported 14 major wildfires burning out of control in mainland Portugal where almost 4,500 firefighters were in action in a massive operation, supported by 28 water-dumping aircraft and 1,300 vehicles. Even that wasn’t enough, however, and the government requested help from other European Union countries.
Forest fires are common in Portugal, and elsewhere in southern Europe, during August but a mixture of temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) and strong winds since Saturday have caused damage on a scale not seen for years. There were 186 wildfires on the mainland by late afternoon Wednesday, and fire chiefs said their crews were exhausted.
A wildfire that swept overnight into Funchal, the capital of Portugal’s Madeira Islands, killed three elderly people and left more than 300 people requiring medical treatment for smoke inhalation and minor burns, officials said.