Forest fires blaze in central Portugal
Date: 16-Jul-02
Country: PORTUGAL
A spokesman for the National Firefighting Coordination Centre said two tanker planes were aiding 222 firefighters battle a blaze near the central mountain city of Castelo Branco, about 200 km (125 miles) northeast of Lisbon.
Crews also were fighting a forest fire close to Tomar, a city about 120 km (75 miles) north of Lisbon.
Temperatures forecast to reach about 35 degrees Centigrade (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and changeable winds were frustrating efforts to put out the fires. Portugal is about 36 percent covered by forests and 4,658 ha (11,645 acres) have burned this year through to July 7, according to the agriculture ministry.