Portugal gains control of some wildfires
A fire that started in the Peneda-Geres national park near Ponte da Barca in the country's north Saturday night was unrelenting.
Meanwhile a fire in the centre near Arouca that ignited Monday afternoon continued to demand the most resources, with 750 firefighters and 260 vehicles on site.
Residents of the northern village near Melres endured a harrowing night as the flames encroached.
"It's terrible," exclaimed Maria Da Conceicao, 64, to AFP. "Last year it already burned on the other side, it was madness... and now here."
Other fires near Santarem, Penamacor and Nisa, in the centre of the country were declared under control overnight, according to the National Authority of Civil Protection.
But weather conditions Wednesday are expected to pose a challenge to firefighters, with strong winds and high temperatures pushing 40C in the centre.
Large swathes were under a "maximum, very high, or high" fire risk, according to the Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), prompting authorities to reinforce the wildfire response system.
Like many countries, Portugal faces wildfires every summer. Experts say climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of droughts and fires around the world.
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