Forest fires, raging since Friday (Saturday in Manila) in northern Portugal, had redoubled in vigor late yesterday, mobilizing more than 3,000 men fighting against 160 fires, eight classified as “important”.
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Temperatures in excess of 35C have led to more than 12 major fires in mainland Portugal, a lot of them in the north-west of the country.
Miguel Albuquerque, head of Madeira’s regional government, told reporters the three victims there died in their burned homes early Wednesday as the wildfire hit the coastal city in the dark.
Avelino Viveiros visits his house that burned yesterday at Curral dos Romeiros during the forest fires in Funchal, Madeira island, Portugal, on Wednesday.
“She added: “(There are) terrifying fires blazing in many places so I feel really devastated as so many locals will have lost their homes and some maybe their lives.
Three people have been killed, two seriously hurt and about a thousand evacuated from homes and hotels.
Wind-whipped wildfires spared the French city of Marseille on Thursday but scorched through two southern towns, burning homes and at least one school and leaving hundreds of people evacuated.
One person suffered serious burns, while majority of those who needed medical attention had inhaled smoke as high winds fueled the blaze, he added.
Firefighters in Portugal are also battling multiple blazes fed by brush in a hot, dry summer.
The republic’s authorities have already requested assistance of Spain in extinguishing fires. Albuquerque said officials suspect the fire was started deliberately and police have made two arrests.
Meanwhile, news footage showed licks of flame over Funchal Tuesday as residents desperately tried to quell the fires with hosepipes.
Firefighters said steep hills, dense woodland and large amounts of dry pine trees after a recent drought had made it particularly hard to tackle the flames once they began to spread.
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The wildfire has since been under control, while weather forecasts for a cooler Wednesday is expected to help fan it out completely.
