Wildfire smoke drifts over holiday beaches

SMOKE drifted over the skies of the Algarve beaches in southern Portugal yesterday, as helicopters provided the soundtrack to a third day of wildfires.

Spain and Italy joined Greece in sending planes to help douse the flames.

Eighty people had to be evacuated from the Monchique spa complex in the southern Algarve after a blaze, thought to be under control, flared up.