At least three people were killed in the Portuguese island of Madeira in wildfires which have been affecting the country, Visao weekly reported Wednesday. At least 37 houses and a five-star hotel had burned down.
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Madeira authorities said they hoped cooler temperatures this evening and a drop in wind speeds would help them gain control over the Funchal wildfire. The National Civil Protection Service said nearly 3,900 firefighters were in action in a massive operation Wednesday, supported by 32 water-dumping aircraft and 1,150 vehicles.
Fanned by unpredictable, high winds on the mountainous island amid unusually hot, dry weather, the blazes have created apocalyptic scenes, disrupted flights and left residents fearful for their homes.
Firefighters said the steep hills and dense woodlands of the island has made it hard to extinguish the flames.
He said reinforcements, including firefighters and doctors, are due to arrive later Wednesday from the Portuguese mainland.
Flames licked at homes around Madeira’s capital, Funchal, encroaching on the suburbs and casting a smoke plume over the city centre, according to video broadcast by cable news channel SIC Noticias.
Smoke from forest fires rises above Funchal, the capital of Portugal’s Madeira island, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016.
But the official has also brought to the notice of people that the month of August is a windy period in Madeira whereby the temperature is quite high, and the wind blows strongly which could lead to the widespread of a little fire spread.
Officials say all of the dead were elderly.
Some of the worst-hit areas were in northern Portugal, where temperatures have exceeded 30 degrees Celsius in recent days.
In mainland Portugal a wildfire forced the closure of a major highway near Viseu, while another blaze cut power lines in nearby Agueda.
The authorities say around 3,000 firefighters are trying to extinguish hundreds of forest fires across the country.
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In Lisbon, Tuesday was hazy with the smell of smoke from wildfires in the surrounding region.
