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Portugal puts out Algarve fire, firefighters keep vigil

Saturday, 11 August 2018 12:28 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 11 August 2018 12:32 AM ]

A firefighter combats a wildfire close to Monchique in the Portuguese Algarve, on August 8, 2018. (AFP)

Portuguese firefighters have put out a huge fire that devastated the forested hills in the southern Algarve tourist region, the head of the operation said on Friday, August 10, and locals are now assessing the damage to their properties as emergency services remain in the area to monitor potential hot spots.

Firefighters combat a wildfire close to Monchique in the Portuguese Algarve, on August 8, 2018. (AFP)

Uruguayan Guildo Dutrei, who has been living in Portugal for 14 years and owns a hotel and restaurant in the hills of Monchique, says that although his property narrowly escaped the flames, he has lost all his bookings after his clients had to be evacuated and the blaze damaged the electricity, supply leaving the premises without power.

Dutrei says his eucalyptus plantation went up in flames as the fire swept through the hills fed by a heatwave and strong winds.

The fire has burnt through 27,000 hectares of mainly eucalyptus forest in the hills above the Algarve coast, according to European Union data. A fire in the same area in 2003 destroyed 41,000 hectares of forest.

Europe's biggest wildfire this year forced nearly 300 people to leave their homes but nobody died as authorities went to great lengths to keep people safe after last year, when the worst fires on record killed 114 in Portugal.

This year's fire erupted a week ago during an extreme heatwave. Europe's summer has been unusually hot, sparking wildfires as far apart as Sweden and Greece, where a brutal blaze killed at least 88.

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