Hundreds of tourists had to flee holiday resorts in Portugal as firefighters rushed to put out a massive forest fire in the south of the country on Tuesday.
So far, about 1,400 people have been evacuated from the region where the fire has scorched thousands of hectares of land.
The wildfire, currently being fought by more than 800 firefighters, started on Saturday in the municipality of Odemira, in the Alentejo region, but has since spread south to the Algarve, one of Portugal’s top tourist destinations.
Firefighting teams were assisted by 14 firefighting aircraft that attempted to extinguish the flames from the air.
Nine firefighters have been injured, while more than 100 tourists have been evacuated from hotels to safety as the blaze continues to spread.
Firefighters try to extinguish the flames in the municipality of Odemira, August 7, 2023
Trees burn in a forest fire, as pictured from the A1 highway in the town of Cardosos, which cut the highway this afternoon, Leiria, Portugal, August 7, 2023
A man throws water on a fire, in the municipality of Odemira, August 07, 2023
A man watches the fire in the municipality of Odemira, August 7, 2023
Smoke rises into the sky from a forest fire, as pictured from the A1 highway in the town of Cardosos, which closed the highway this afternoon, Leiria, Portugal, August 7, 2023
High temperatures and strong winds make it difficult to fight the flames, which have devastated about 4,000 hectares of land.
Fears are growing that the flames could spread to nearby regions with water resources to deal with the waning blaze.
Officials are expected to declare a state of emergency in the region soon.
Shortly before sunset on Monday, the sky in Odemira darkened as a huge cloud of smoke filled the sky.
Odemira’s mayor, Helder Guerreiro, called the situation “critical, difficult and complex,” while civil defense commander Jose Ribeiro said there was “a lot of work” ahead to bring the wildfire under control.
In total, 19 small villages, four tourist accommodations and a campsite have been evacuated as a precaution. Several roads have been closed, authorities said.
Southern European countries such as Portugal are grappling with record-breaking temperatures during the peak summer tourist season, prompting authorities to warn of health risks.
Scientists say heat waves due to climate change are becoming more frequent and intense and are spreading over the seasons.
The Portuguese weather agency IPMA on Monday put six districts in the country, including the capital Lisbon, on red for extreme heat until midnight.
Authorities have stated that more than 120 municipalities across Portugal are at maximum risk of wildfires, with Lisbon – home to 500,000 – placed under ‘red alert’.
“The weather conditions we will experience in the coming days mean that any small event (fire) can become a big one,” Secretary of State for Civil Protection Patricia Gaspar told a news conference.
A man throws water on a fire in the municipality of Odemira
Smoke rises into the sky from a forest fire, as pictured near the A1 motorway in the town of Cardosos, which cut the motorway this afternoon, Leiria, Portugal, August 7, 2023
A helicopter fights a fire in the municipality of Odemira, August 07, 2023
Firefighters fight a wildfire in Carrascal, Proenca a Nova on August 6, 2023. More than 1,000 firefighters fight a wildfire in central Portugal
Firefighters try to extinguish the flames in the municipality of Odemira, August 7, 2023
Three districts in northern Portugal were placed under alert on Tuesday as temperatures were expected to reach 41 degrees Celsius in the northern town of Castelo Branco.
Another fire is said to have broken out on Sunday morning in the Portuguese Ourém, about 220 kilometers north of Odemira.
More than 300 firefighters and five water bombers are reportedly on the scene, further expanding Portugal’s fire service.
Ruben del Campo of Spain’s weather agency said the weather this week will be “more intense, more widespread and lasting a little longer” than in July, when wildfires ravaged parts of Greece and Italy.
More than 20,000 residents and holidaymakers were forced to flee as the fires spread across Greece, with one particularly fierce blaze sweeping across the island of Rhodes.
Greek officials described it as the country’s largest-ever evacuation effort.
The bushfire burned for nearly a week before they were finally brought under control, as a period of extreme heat made it difficult to control.