Â鶹ÒùÔº

Portugal gains control of some wildfires

Firefighters gained control over some of the dozens of wildfires scorching Portugal on Wednesday, as fears mounted that weather conditions could further fan the flames.

Some 2,000 firefighters backed by waterbombers were deployed to seven major fires in the north and center of the country, according to the latest bulletin from the civil protection agency.

Hundreds of others were focused on controlling blazes that were "in the process of resolution that do not pose a risk of spreading," the agency said earlier.

A fire that started at a national park near Ponte da Barca in the country's north on Saturday was unrelenting, prompting Mayor Augusto Marinho to call for reinforcements to the village of Germil, threatened of being surrounded by flames.

"We are trying to control the situation, but this afternoon the weather could bring us some bad surprises," said civil protection commander Marco Domingues.

Meanwhile a fire in the center near Arouca that ignited Monday was drawing the most resources, with 780 firefighters and 260 vehicles and eight planes.

Residents of the northern village near Melres endured a harrowing night as the flames encroached.

"It's terrible," exclaimed Maria Da Conceicao, 64, to AFP. "Last year it already burned on the other side, it was madness... and now here."

Widespread fires

Across the border in Spain, a blaze destroyed 2,500 hectares (6,180 acres) in the western province of Caceres, leading to the evacuation of six hamlets and road closures.

In the neighboring province of Avila, another fire that ignited on Monday had cut off the village of El Arenal.

Both Portuguese and Spanish authorities have issued public warnings of the fire risk amid tinder-dry conditions.

Like many countries, Portugal and Spain faces wildfires every summer. Experts say climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of droughts and fires around the world.

Although fires in Portugal near Santarem, Penamacor and Nisa, in the center of the country were declared under control, according to the National Authority of Civil Protection, Wednesday's forecast of temperatures pushing 40C and strong winds were expected to challenge firefighters.

Large swathes were under a "maximum, very high, or high" fire risk, according to the Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).

Following the deadly fire season in 2017, Portugal ramped up its spending on wildfire prevention and response.

Still, more than 29,000 hectares have already been charred since the beginning of the year, according to Portugal's Institute of Forests (ICNF).