World

Huge blazes force evacuations

July 22, 2019 5:41 am

Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed to central Portugal where several wildfires have forced people to flee their homes.

One person has suffered serious injuries. At least seven firefighters have also been hurt.

Helicopters and planes have been used to douse three blazes in the mountainous Castelo Branco region, where one village has been evacuated.

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On Sunday, officials said two of the fires had been brought under control.

The fires started on Saturday afternoon and were fanned by strong winds that made them more difficult to contain. “We are ready for a difficult day,” Belo Costa, a civil protection official, told reporters early on Sunday.

Hundreds of vehicles, including four bulldozers, have been used to tackle the fires. Army soldiers have been deployed.

Several major roads are closed.