Reinforcements are due to arrive on Monday, including more water-dropping planes from Spain, France and Italy as part of a European Union co-operation programme.

Portugal is observing three days of national mourning after 62 people were killed in a wildfire on Saturday night around the town of Pedrogao Grande, which is by far the deadliest on record. Just over 1,000 firefighters are still tackling that blaze about 150km north of Lisbon.

Scorching weather, with temperatures above 40C, as well as strong winds and dry woodland after weeks with little rain are fuelling the blazes.