Forest Blaze in Portugal Claims the Lives of Six Firefighters

Six firefighters died trying to put out the flames of a forest fire in Portugal on Sunday as temperatures soared in the Iberian peninsula, authorities said yesterday.

The six firefighters, including five Chileans working for a private contractor, died as a blaze tore through countryside and woodland near the north-eastern town of Famalicao. A sudden change in the direction of the wind had left the six men trapped by the flames, police said.

"Only the investigation will verify if the team was in the correct position and if the work was organised in the proper manner," Lusa news agency quoted the head of the national fire protection service, Gil Martins, as saying. "Forest fires are unpredictable."

The government immediately announced the opening of an investigation.

Portugal has suffered several summers of severe forest fires, with 1,200 square miles being burnt last year in blazes that killed 19 people.

Firefighters from Germany, France and Spain were called in to help the overworked Portuguese fire brigade.

This summer had been calm so far, but hot weather over the past two days has set fires going again. At least three other fires were reported burning yesterday morning in both northern and southern Portugal.

Spanish firefighters were also dealing with a blaze in the Sierra de Grazalema, in the south-western province of Cádiz.

Spain's meteorological office warned yesterday that temperatures were set to soar, with south-western regions such as Seville and Cordoba liable to suffer peaks of more than 40C (104F).

Portuguese police said they had arrested a 19-year-old farmer who was believed to have started the Famalicao fire. He was released on bail.

The five Chileans were employed by a private firefighting company.