Mourning declared as forest fire kills 61

Portugal has declared three days of mourning for the 61 victims of one of the country’s deadliest forest fires.

Four children are among the victims, many of whom were found dead inside their cars as they tried to flee the central forested region of Pedrógão Grande.

Hundreds of firefighters are continuing to tackle the blaze on several fronts.

Prime Minister Antonio Costa called it “the greatest tragedy we have seen in recent years in terms of forest fires”.

He said it was thought to have been sparked by a lightning strike.

Four firefighters are among the 54 people injured in the fire, which is raging in several parts of a mountainous area some 200km north-east of the capital Lisbon.

There are fears the death toll could rise, as a number of people are still missing. The period of national mourning ends on Tuesday.

Photo: AFP A policeman stands near two burnt cars and the dead body of a victim of a wildfire in a forest of Figueiro dos Vinhos yesterday