Parched Portugal's Forest Fire Season Begins - Higher Temps Projected

[hatrack]

More than 200 firefighters backed by a water-dropping helicopter and nearly 60 vehicles were on Tuesday battling a large wind-fueled wildfire in drought-hit Portugal, emergency services workers said.

One fireman was slightly injured as he battled the blaze which began on Monday afternoon for unknown reasons near the central town of Alhada, some 200 kilometres (120 miles) north of Lisbon and was threatening several buildings.

EDIT

Portugal, which is suffering though its worst drought in decades, is currently sweltering through a heatwave.

The national weather office has issued a heat warning for eight of the country's 18 regions because of forecasts that temperatures there would hover near 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) over the next few days."

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/2005/050607172659.jvfvimzq.html