A man gestures as house burns as a wildfire spreads at Bom Sucesso in Funchal, Madeira island, Portugal, August 9, 2016.
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Three persons, including an elderly woman have been killed in forest fires sweeping across Portugal.
Eight firefighters required medical treatment after inhaling smoke as high winds fanned the blaze.
The Madeira fire, fueled by hot weather and strong winds, forced the evacuation of around 1,000 residents and tourists in the islands off northwestern Africa.
On mainland Portugal, more than 3,200 firefighters are now battling more than 100 fires that have been raging amid the arid summer heat, causing chaos across the country, according to the Portuguese National Authority of Civil Protection.
Some of the worst-hit areas were in northern Portugal, where temperatures have exceeded 30C (86F) in recent days. Two others have also been left seriously injured.
On Tuesday, hospitals and old people’s homes were evacuated as flames advanced on built-up areas.
Firefighters said steep hills and dense woodland were making it hard to tackle the flames.
On Tuesday evening, the government is sending a fire fighting force to the Madeira regions affected, Prime Minister Antonio Costa was quoted as saying.
Madeira attracts more than a million visitors a year as tourism is the mainstay of its economy.
Officials suspect the fires were started deliberately, and police have made two arrests.
Thousands of people have been evacuated from homes and hotels.
Reinforcements, including firefighters and doctors, arrived Wednesday from the mainland and Portugal’s mid-Atlantic Azores Islands.
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The fire across the regional capital have been mostly taken under control, however several were still raging the other parts, regional governor Miguel Albuquerque told a televised news conference.
