Portugal's civil protection agency said the blaze that started overnight in a national park has forced the evacuation of 47 people and left eight firefighters and one civilian injured.

Firefighters on the ground are being supported by 225 vehicles and six aerial fire-fighting units.

Wildfires routinely blacken large areas of forest every year inPortugal.

But last year, they killed 106 people in what was by far the deadliest summer fire season on record.

It was also a wake-up call for authorities, who were widely seen as being slow to react.

This year the government has enacted a raft of preventive measures to make sure fire deaths are reduced.