REUTERS/Duarte Sa A general view of Sitio de Curral dos Romeiros during the wildfires at Funchal, Madeira island, Portugal, August 9, 2016.
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Local news footage showed a huge cloud of smoke drifting over downtown Funchal as desperate residents tried to use garden hose pipes to stop the encroaching flames.
Three people were killed, two seriously hurt and around a thousand forced to flee overnight as fires ravaged the Portuguese holiday island of Madeira, reaching the capital Funchal, rescuers said Wednesday.
City mayor Paulo Cafofo said it was “impossible” to calculate how many buildings were caught in the blaze, but told Publico that a five-star hotel and spa had been completely consumed.
Flights have been disrupted at Madeira airport, with United Kingdom holidaymakers facing delays returning home.
Authorities hope that cooler temperatures forecast for Wednesday can help bring the blaze under control.
Firefighter department of the fire service reports it become nearly impossible to quench the fire quickly and especially on time because of the steep hills and dense woodland of Madeira terrain.
The fires spread quickly through mainly sycamore forests.
A shopping centre and a hospital have reportedly evacuated while many are being treated for smoke inhalation. Police said they arrested a man suspected of starting the fire.
According to The National Civil Protection Service, over 4,000 firefighters supported by 26 water-dumping planes and 1,262 vehicles were attending 149 blazes of varying sizes across the country.
Fire services are at full stretch on the mainland, too, due to scores of wildfires that have raged since Saturday.
The region’s pine and eucalyptus forests have made the flawless fuel, with dead wood littering the floor.
A vast ball of smoke was seen above Funchal on Tuesday with the evening sky turned orange by the flames, prompting locals to photograph the scene from surrounding hills.
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Madeira has been experiencing exceptionally hot summer conditions and little rain for several weeks, with temperatures reaching 44 degrees Celsius on some days.
