Firfighters battle wildfires in Algarve

Firefighters battled today to extinguish two large fires that swept through Portugal’s Algarve province after three days of intense blazes destroyed thousands of acres of forest and protected lands.

The areas affected were Loule, in the southern region of Algarve, and Almodovar, in the south-eastern region of Alentejo.

In Loule, fires broke out on Tuesday afternoon and raged throughout the night. Since dawn, aircraft and helicopters zoomed over the area dumping water on the flames.

The fires have destroyed thousands of acres of eucalyptus and cork tree forests.

“The fire is widespread, the entire countryside north of the town of Loule is ablaze,” said David Thursfield, a 49-year-old Briton who has believed in the area for 16 years.

“We are surrounded by a layer of ash, smouldering pieces of cork are dropping all around us,” he added. “It is certainly the biggest fire I have seen in this area.”

In other areas in Portugal, more than 1,300 firefighters were battling at nine fires, authorities said.

Last year, fires burned a record 5% of Portugal’s terrain – one million acres -and killed 18 people.

So far this summer, the number of fires is higher, but there has been less destruction and authorities hope the fires will subside if temperatures dip by at the end of the week.

Weather forecasts projected temperatures will still top 35 C (100 F) until Thursday but humidity was expected to rise and winds to lessen, perhaps helping firefighters.

In neighbouring Spain, forest fires near the southern city of Huelva killed two people yesterday.