Skip to main content
Saturday, November 14, 2026Nov 14

The Latest: Strong winds, dry forests fuel Portugal fires

A TV camerawoman shoots images of a fire raging up a mountain slope and reflected on the Tagus river outside the village of Sao Jose das Matas, near Macao, central Portugal, Wednesday, July 26 2017. More than 2,300 firefighters with more than 700 vehicles are tackling wildfires in Portugal, where every summer large areas of woodland are scorched. The flames were being driven by powerful winds across steep hillsides of dense pine and eucalyptus forest Wednesday. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
A TV camerawoman shoots images of a fire raging up a mountain slope and reflected on the Tagus river outside the village of Sao Jose das Matas, near Macao, central Portugal, Wednesday, July 26 2017. More than 2,300 firefighters with more than 700 vehicles are tackling wildfires in Portugal, where every summer large areas of woodland are scorched. The flames were being driven by powerful winds across steep hillsides of dense pine and eucalyptus forest Wednesday. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

BORMES-LES-MIMOSAS, France (AP) – The Latest on the wildfires blazing in France and elsewhere in Europe (all times local):

11:50 a.m.

Officials in Portugal say they don’t expect a forecast drop in temperatures to help extinguish a spate of summer wildfires.

Civil Protection Agency spokeswoman Patricia Gaspar says continuing strong winds and tinder-dry woodland remain a menace.

Almost 2,000 firefighters were deployed at six major blazes across Portugal Thursday. The worst-affected areas continued to be in the central region of the country, especially a fire around Serta, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) northeast of Lisbon, which was burning for a fifth day.