People watch a wildfire in Aljesur, Portugal on August 7. SUPPLIED

A total of 1,400 residents evacuated after a fire occurred in southern Portugal on Tuesday (August 8). The wildfire, which is being fought by over 800 firemen, began on Saturday (August 5) in the Alentejo municipality of Odemira but has now extended south to the Algarve, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Portugal. Helder Guerreiro, mayor of Odemira, described the situation as "critical, difficult, and complex," while Jose Ribeiro, the head of Civil Protection, said it would take "a lot of work" to put out the wildfire. An estimated 6,700 hectares of land have been burned down by the flames, and efforts to put out the fires are being hampered by high temperatures and strong winds. About 19 towns, four tourist lodgings, and a campground have all been evacuated out of caution and several roads had been closed, authorities said. Authorities have issued health warnings as a result of the record-breaking temperatures that southern European nations like Portugal have been experiencing during the busiest travel season of the year. The Portuguese weather office IPMA issued a red notice for high heat through midnight for six areas throughout the nation, including the capital city of Lisbon on Monday (August 7), and more than 120 municipalities in Portugal have been classified at risk for wildfires. "The weather conditions we are going to experience in the coming days means any small occurrence (fire) could become a big one," said Patricia Gaspar, Civil Protection secretary of state, during a news conference. On Tuesday (August 8), three areas in northern Portugal were put on red alert as Castelo Branco, a city in that region, was predicted to reach a temperature of 41 degrees Celsius. MFD/Expat Media
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