Tourists are among hundreds who have scrambled to evacuate homes and holiday resorts in Portugal as a wildfire inferno ripped across the country during a 46C heatwave.
The wildfire started on Saturday in the municipality of Odemira, in the Alentejo region, but it has since spread south towards the Algarve, one of Portugal’s most popular tourist destinations.
Around 1,400 people have now been evacuated as hundreds of firefighters battle the intense blaze, nine of whom have been injured. Blockades have also been put in place across several roads, with over 100 tourists scrambling out of their hotels to safety across tourist sites in Odemira.
Odemira’s mayor, Helder Guerreiro, called the situation “critical, difficult and complex” while Civil Protection commander Jose Ribeiro said there was a “lot of work” ahead to bring the wildfire under control.
Two active fronts have now been confirmed, with one heading to a lush green mountainous area in the Algarve’s countryside. Monchique, which last burned in 2018, is popular among locals and tourists due to its thermal springs and hotels.
The news comes following temperatures of 46.4C on Monday, recorded in Santarém.