The wildfire, currently being tackled by over 800 firefighters, started on Saturday in the municipality of Odemira, in the Alentejo region, but has since spread south towards the Algarve, one of Portugal's top tourist destinations, Reuters reported.
Odemira's mayor, Helder Guerreiro, called the situation "critical, difficult and complex" while Civil Protection commander Jose Ribeiro said there was a "lot of work" ahead to bring the wildfire under control.
A total of 19 tiny villages, four tourist accommodations, and a camping site have been evacuated out of precaution. Several roads have been blocked off, authorities said.
Three districts in Portugal's north were placed under red alert on Tuesday as temperatures were expected to reach 41 Celsius (105.8 Fahrenheit) in the northern city of Castelo Branco.
Scientists say heat waves are becoming more frequent, intense, and spread out across seasons due to climate change.
AMK/PR
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