Fierce battle against raging wildfires continues in Portugal

Wildfires continue to rage across Portugal. Thousands of firefighters have been battling at least 300 blazes. Twelve of those have been classified as major or large. Strong winds in Águeda have been making the situation there worse. With emergency services struggling to cope, the Portuguese interior ministry has requested help from the European Union. On the island of Madeira, the fires have largely been brought under control where three people have been killed and hundreds of others treated for smoke inhalation and minor burns. The country’s president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa visited Madeira and praised the “courage” and “exemplary behaviour” of individuals and of all those involved in the work of putting out the fires. In Pictures: Wildfires rage across Portugal’s Madeira Islands https://t.co/xUET5LafF0 pic.twitter.com/IcxIDWFRrr— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) August 11, 2016 Portuguese footballer Ronaldo, who is from Madeira, has offered his financial support to the regional governor. The current wave of fires is similar to those recorded in 2003, 2005, 2010 and 2013, which has placed Portugal as the EU state hardest hit by the flames. Video shows smoke from wildfire burning in Portugal’s Madeira Islands billowing toward ocean https://t.co/7TOHQeWi2Mhttps://t.co/aFyEUk0Cr1— ABC News (@ABC) August 10, 2016