Portuguese wildfire kills 62 people

Portuguese firefighters continue to battle wildfires in parts of the country after one blaze on Saturday killed 62 people. The fire began in the forested Pedrogao Grande area, about 90 miles north of the capital, Lisbon. Portugal frequently faces wildfires during the dry summer months when the temperature rises as high as 104 Fahrenheit. But Saturday’s blaze was the deadliest in decades. Interior Ministry official Jorge Gomes told state broadcaster RTP at least 30 people died trapped inside their cars, while others died in the forest and in accidents caused by the fire. The fire injured about 54 people, with five of them in critical condition, Gomes said. Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Sunday evening said the country would observe three days of mourning. Portugal also will get firefighting support from the European Union cooperation program, including water-dropping planes from Spain, France, and Italy.

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