Spain sends planes to fight Portuguese fires

SPAIN has sent air assistance to quell fires that have been raging in the centre of Portugal since Friday night. 

On Monday, two Spanish seaplanes arrived to help in the firefighting work in Vila de Rei. 

After a sleepless night, early this morning the commander of Civil Protection operations said some 90 per cent of the fires in the central area of the country had been extinguished. So far 8,900 hectares has been burned. 

However, Commander Pedro Nunes predicted today would be difficult because of winds around 35 kilometres per hour and the difficult terrain. 

So far two houses have been destroyed and 12 people injured, one seriously. 

Two years ago, in the Pedrógão Grande fire – some 40 kilometres from Mação– 64 people died and 50,000 hectares burned; then, in October, there were more than 500 fires. In 2017, half a million hectares burned in more than 600 fires and 112 people died.