Water bomber planes battle wildfires in Portugal

Hundreds of firefighters on Tuesday battled a wildfire that has burned for four days in southern Portugal, which like neighbouring Spain is sweltering in a heatwave that has triggered widespread weather alerts.

The Iberian Peninsula is bearing the brunt of climate change in Europe, witnessing increasingly intense heatwaves, droughts and wildfires. The temperature rose to 46.4 degrees Celsius in Santarem, central Portugal, on Monday, a record for 2023, according to provisional data from the meteorological office.

More than 1,000 firefighters backed by 10 water-bomber planes were battling a blaze that has already burned thousands of hectares near Odemira, southwestern Portugal, not far from the tourist hub of the Algarve. Nearly 1,500 people, residents as well as tourists, have been evacuated from the area. Around 40 people, including 28 fire officers, have been given emergency medical treatment.