ODEMIRA, Portugal, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Hundreds of firefighters scrambled on Tuesday to put out a blaze raging in southern Portugal that has scorched thousands of hectares of land and forced the precautionary evacuation of around 1,400 people.
High temperatures and strong winds are complicating efforts to combat the flames, which have destroyed around 6,700 hectares of land.
A total of 19 tiny villages, four tourist accommodations and a camping site have been evacuated out of precaution.
[1/5]People watch a wildfire in Aljesur, Portugal, August 7, 2023.
REUTERS/Pedro NunesSouthern European countries such as Portugal have been grappling with record-breaking temperatures during the peak summer tourist season, prompting authorities to warn of health risks.
Persons:
Helder Guerreiro, Jose Ribeiro, Pedro Nunes, Patricia Gaspar, Catarina Demony, Miguel Pereira, Leslie Adler
Organizations:
Civil, REUTERS, Pedro Nunes Southern, Authorities, Thomson
Locations:
ODEMIRA, Portugal, Odemira, Alentejo, Algarve, Aljesur, Portuguese, Lisbon, Portugal's, Castelo Branco