2016 Portugal wildfires
The 2016 Portugal wildfires are a series of wildfires that burned across mainland Portugal and the Madeira archipelago in the north Atlantic Ocean during August 2016 that prompted the evacuation of more than one thousand people and destroyed at least 37 homes near Funchal on Madeira island. Flights were also disrupted at Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport due to high levels of smoke.
| 2016 Portugal wildfires | |
|---|---|
Fire by the Dão River, in northern Portugal, August 2016 | |
| Location | Mainland Portugal and Madeira archipelago |
| Statistics | |
| Total fires | At least 515 as of 9 August |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | A least 4 |
| Non-fatal injuries | One seriously burned, scores of others treated for smoke inhalation |
| Structures destroyed | 37 |
At least seven major fires were burning out of control in the north of Portugal on August 9, according to officials, the fire of Arouca and S.Pedro do Sul was the biggest.
The authorities say around 3,000 firefighters are trying to extinguish hundreds of forest fires across the country.
An emergency was declared in Portugal's northern Norte Region as firefighters battled numerous wildfires.