More than 800 firefighters have been deployed to tackle wildfires raging in southern Portugal, which have burned about 6,700 hectares of land and forced about 1,400 people to evacuate for safety.

The fire started on August 5 in the town of Odemira (Alentejo) and then spread south towards the Algarve - one of Portugal's famous tourist destinations. High temperatures and strong winds have significantly hindered the firefighting efforts. Images recorded on August 7 show the sunset sky in Odemira darkened by smoke from the forest fires. According to the head of the town, Helder Guerreiro, the fire situation here is "serious, difficult and complicated".

Firefighters try to extinguish a fire in Ourem, Portugal on July 13, 2022. Photo: VNA

Portugal and several other southern European countries have recorded record high temperatures during the peak summer tourist season. Scientists say heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense in all seasons due to climate change. Experts have repeatedly warned of the health risks of heat waves.

In North America, Canada is also experiencing a record wildfire season, with more than 100,000 square kilometers burned so far this year — four times the average area burned in a season.

Wildfires in Canada have forced thousands of people to evacuate, causing significant property damage. In British Columbia alone, about 800 residents have been evacuated. Statistics as of August 7 show that the province has recorded nearly 400 wildfires, of which 14 have been rated as "notable" - a level that predicts a potential hazard and could affect people's safety.

According to forecasts by Ken Dosanjh, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, the country is preparing for a new storm. The storm may bring heavy rain, helping to contain the "fires", but the lightning could cause more fires.

Meanwhile, the European Union's Copernicus atmosphere monitoring service said Canadian wildfires released 290 million tonnes of carbon emissions - double the previous annual record, set in 2014.

VNA

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