Warning to UK tourists as Portugal announce 'state of calamity'

The European Union wildfires have killed at least seven people, according to official figures.

In Portugal, the government declared a “state of calamity” late on Tuesday night as dozens of wildfires continued to burn across northern parts of the country. The European Union wildfires have killed at least seven people, according to official figures.

The fires have also destroyed dozens of houses and torn through tens of thousands of hectares of forest and scrubland. The Foreign Office warned: "There are currently a significant number of forest fires burning in several parts of Portugal. The Portuguese government has declared a state of Alert until 11:59pm on Thursday 19 September. Access to forests and activities in rural areas may be restricted. Roads may be closed due to smoke and ash.

"The situation is fast-moving and could change rapidly. Keep up-to-date with developments and follow the advice of the Civil Protection Authority." More than 5,000 firefighters tackled more than 100 separate wildfires in Portugal on Wednesday as Spain, France and Italy each sent two waterbombing aircraft in efforts to extinguish the blazes.

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“We’re in a stressful situation, at the limit of our capabilities,” the head of the Portuguese civil protection authority, Duarte Costa, told CNN Portugal, adding that the reinforcements would allow for some rotation of exhausted Portuguese firefighters and aircraft maintenance.

Portugal’s prime minister, Luís Montenegro, has paid tribute to the three firefighters who have been killed. “My deepest condolences to the families and the firefighters who died. Three heroes who gave their lives defending Portugal and the Portuguese people. The greatest tribute we can pay them is to continue fighting, as they did,” he said.

In the Czech Republic, where more than 60,000 homes were still without electricity, the governor of the north-eastern Moravia-Silesian region, Josef Belica, said 15,000 people had been evacuated and helicopters were delivering aid to towns and villages cut off by flood water.