3,000 firefighters tackling wildfires in Portugal
Around 3,000 firefighters are struggling to put out more than 150 raging wildfires in Portugal, as persistent hot and dry weather stokes the flames.
In one case, more than 800 firefighters supported by air units are concentrating on extinguishing a large blaze near the central town of Vila dei Rei.
More than 2000 firefighters have been called in to tackle eight massive wildfires in central Portugal. #9News pic.twitter.com/cHdYJJQHrR
— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) August 15, 2017
Portuguese public television showed images of towering flames illuminating the night which by morning had left large swathes of scorched forest near the town, where authorities evacuated 112 people on Monday.
Civil Protection Agency spokeswoman Patricia Gaspar said on Tuesday that 55 people had been injured, including four seriously, in Portugal since August 9.
Portugal has been especially hard hit by wildfires this year because of a drought. The worst outbreak killed 64 people in June.
