Bushfires kill dozens in Portugal, Spain

AT least 36 people have died in fires ravaging forests in northern and central Portugal while three people were killed in Spain by blazes sparked by arsonists and fanned by Hurricane Ophelia.

The 36 deaths, confirmed by Portugal’s national civil protection agency, included a one-month-old baby. Just four months ago, in June, 64 people were killed in the deadliest fire in the country’s history.

“There are still places where security services have not yet managed to reach,” said civil protection agency spokes- woman Patricia Gaspar, adding that the toll remained preliminary for that reason.

She said seven people were still missing in fire-affected areas. At least 63 other people were injured, including 16 who were in critical condition.

The 524 registered outbreaks of fire in Portugal, by far the most since 2006, were caused by “higher than average temperatures for the season and the cumulative effect of drought”, Ms Gaspar said.

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa reaffirmed his promise to prevent new tragedies by carrying out “fundamental reforms” in forest management and firefighting.

“After this year, nothing should remain as it was before,” he said.

In Spain, Galician authorities, who have declared three days of regional mourning, said there were still 15 active fires posing a risk to the population and homes.