The number of fires, in contrast, was down almost 25% on the year at 10,288, the data unveiled at a news conference in Lisbon showed.

In the first eight months of last year 13,094 fires that consumed 58.601 hectares.

At the news conference, the ANPC's national operational commander, José Manuel Moura, noted that the area burned this year was above the average of the past 10 years, with a total close to the figures for 2013 and 2010, though lower than those for 2003 and 2005.

Moura also stressed that fully 45% of the area burned so far this year was in fires that started on 8 August, and that the month as a whole saw a number of fires and area burned "considerably higher" than the average for the previous 10 years.

The figures do not include major fires in August on the island of Madeira.

Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Aveiro and Viseu were the worst affected districts in August.

Moura said the weather was mostly for blame for this year's figures.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, more than 900 fire fighters were battling six major fires in mainland Portugal, three of them in Vila Real district.

Portugal is one of Europe's most heavily forested countries, with land ownership very dispersed, making it more difficult to enforce and manage fire prevention exercises.