Terrifying pics show wildfires continuing to rage across holiday hotspots in Portugal and Spain as Brit families are forced to flee holiday homes
DEVASTATING wildfires have continued to rage near holiday hotspots across southern Europe.
Shocking pictures showed the devastation as firefighters continued to battle blazes in Spain and Portugal.
Officials said firefighters were making progress in their struggle to extinguish raging wildfires in Portugal.
Nearly 1,400 firefighters continued to battle some six major fires in the north of the mainland today.
The country’s stretched emergency services were aided by water bombers sent by Italy, Spain and Morocco.
And it was announced today that Russia was sending two more planes to help.
Inroads were also being made against the flames on the holiday isle of Madeira, where three perished and hundreds were hospitalised this week.
Temperatures on the island reached record highs of 38C yesterday – the hottest since 1976.
And powerful winds of 55mph fanned the flames, making hard work of extinguishing the fires.
A family from Colchester, Essex, today spoke of having to flee their hotel in the capital’s historic centre as the flames approached.
Sarah and Laurence Cawley were on holiday with their children, Emma, 12, and Thomas, nine when the disaster struck.
Sarah told the Daily Gazette: “It was so hot and smoky. The locals were heroes, looking after us when their own homes could have been burning.
“My daughter, Emma, panicked. Tom talked non-stop asking if it was a fire drill.
“Eventually a bus came to take us to safety and we spent some of the night in the lobby of a safe hotel.”
Related stories
French officials announced that devastating fires which swept through more than 7,400 acres north of Marseille had finally been put out.
A drop in the wind allowed firefighters to douse the last of the flames in the popular tourist area.
Three houses, a restaurant and a car repair garage were gutted by the inferno and another 17 houses were damaged.
It is believed some of the fires were started deliberately.
French President Francois Hollande said yesterday that arsonists were thought to be behind some of the fires and vowed to track down the culprits.
Prosecutors are investigating the cause of a fire in the town of Vitrolles, north of Marseille, after a man was arrested near the site of the outbreak after being seen acting suspiciously.
And in Spain, police are investigating as firefighters continue to battle no less than 15 different blazes which have torn through 14,000 acres in five days.
A regional government source said: “We cannot confirm it until police establish the cause (of the fires).”
“But we know that in the last few days, different incendiary devices have been discovered on site.”
Police in Madeira said earlier in the week that several suspected arsonists had been arrested following the fires.
Some of the damage caused was so bad that Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo – who is from the island – offered financial help to the locals yesterday.
He said: ““My support goes out with a thank you to all those firefighters who are bravely risking their lives to save so many others. I am with you.”
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368