Forest fires in Portugal have left 29 people injured as thousands of firefighters and dozens of aircraft battle the flames.
Authorities said 12 firefighters and 17 civilians needed medical attention for minor injuries, as reported by Portuguese state broadcaster RTP and local media.
By Sunday afternoon, Portugal’s civil protection agency said more than 3,000 firefighters were battling the active fires.
The country is enduring a heatwave that is set to worsen, with temperatures expected to reach 43C (109F) on Tuesday.
On Sunday, the EU activated its air fleet support program for firefighting, which allows member states to share resources to help Portugal.
Spain, which has also suffered recent fires, has mobilized two firefighting planes, according to European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic.
The Portuguese government said it had deployed 60 aircraft to support fire crews. In 2017, out-of-control wildfires killed more than 100 people.
The EU has warned that the continent faces one of its toughest years for natural disasters, including droughts and wildfires, as the climate crisis escalates.
In Spain, a fire in the southwest prompted 30 residents to be evacuated as a precaution, while 115 firefighters, supported by helicopters and planes, were deployed to the blaze near the village of El Ronquillo.
Antonio Costa, Portugal’s prime minister, postponed a planned visit to Mozambique this week “in view of weather forecasts that indicate a very serious deterioration in the risk of rural fires”.
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa canceled a trip to New York where he was scheduled to address the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
Last month, 96% of Portugal was classified as in “extreme” or “severe” drought.
The Portuguese government has declared a heightened state of alert that will remain in place until Friday.
Interior Minister José Luis Carneiro said: “This means that … we can automatically and preemptively activate all emergency and civil protection plans at all territorial levels.”
The Portuguese government banned public access to forests deemed to be at particular risk of wildfires and banned the use of agricultural machinery and banned fireworks.
Costa, in a message on Twitter, reminded citizens not to light open fires or use heavy agricultural machinery that could cause sparks.
He wrote, “Fire prevention is the best help we can give our firefighters.”
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