Portugal prepares emergency measures against fires

Portugal was expected to declare a state of public emergency today as nearly 3,000 firefighters struggled to contain more than 70 wildfires that have raged across the country and killed nine people.

“This is the worst tragedy in living memory in terms of fires,” Prime Minister Jose Durao Barroso said.

A Cabinet meeting was scheduled for this morning, and declaring a public state of emergency would allow firefighters to requisition public vehicles and buildings.

The forest fires are said to be the country’s worst in decades.

About 400 soldiers, 780 firefighting vehicles and dozens of aircraft, some of them provided by Spain, Italy and Morocco, were deployed to help fight the blazes, said a spokesman for the National Fire Co-ordination Office.

The government has also requested help from other European Union countries.

The blazes, some of which are a week old, stretched across pine and eucalyptus forests in rural areas central and northern Portugal.

Strong winds and a heat wave, bringing temperatures above 40C (104F), have stoked the fires. Hotter weather was forecast for later in the week.

Firefighters yesterday raced to protect a power station and a military munitions depot which were in the path of fires.

The authorities suspected most of the fires were started deliberately.

Dozens of houses burnt down in remote villages, many of which were without water, electricity and telephones.

Rail services were cancelled and roads were cut off in some regions.