Portugal has recently requested assistance from Europe to contain forest fire disasters which have killed more than 3,000 fire men and threatens to spread with the coming hot weather.
The exceptionally dry and hot weather in Portugal is the major cause of the repeated fire outbreak in the country.
Interior Minister Constanca Urbana de Sousa said the country sent the request for help to Europe late on Saturday because of concerns that there might be more fire outbreaks as a result of high temperatures and high winds.
The minister said the request was made “because of a question of prudence” due to the weather forecast for coming days, according to news agency Lusa. It covered requests for firefighting airplanes and firemen and is part of a European mechanism for cooperation to fight fires.
Emergency services said 268 fires broke out on Saturday, the highest number for any single day this year, with 6,500 firemen fighting to put them out.
