Portugal battles six blazes, raises fire alert as temperatures soar
Pastor Dale Morgan
Portugal battles six blazes, raises fire alert as temperatures soar*
LISBON, Aug 30 (AFP) Aug 30, 2006
More than 450 firefighters backed by 135 vehicles battled six wildfires,
including four burning out of control, in Portugal on Tuesday as
authorities lifted the national fire alert level because of rising
temperatures.
Nearly 200 firefighters and nine water-dropping aircraft were at the
scene of the largest blaze which raged out of control in woodlands near
the central town of Castelo Branco, the national firefighting service said.
Another fire near the central town of Santarem forced the cancellation
of six trains, including one linking Lisbon to Paris, the national
railway service CP said. It was being battled by 70 firefighters.
Earlier on Tuesday the national firefighting service raised the national
fire alert to "yellow", the third-highest of four levels, because it
said high temperatures, low air humidity levels and strong winds had
increased the risk of wildfires.
The alert level will remain at "yellow" until Thursday. It was
previously set at "blue", the lowest level.
The national weather office forecasts temperatures to soar to highs of
up to 40 degrees Celius (104 Fahrenheit) in some parts of Portugal over
the next two days.
Wildfires destroyed nearly 50,000 hectares (125,000 acres) of forest and
scrubland between the start of the year and August 14, one-third the
average amount ravaged by flames the previous five years, according to
the latest government figures.
Most of the fire damage took place during a heatwave which swept the
country during the first two weeks of August.