Portugal declares a state of calamity as wildfires rage out of control

Associated Press

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — More than 100 wildfires are stretching thousands of firefighters to the limit in northern Portugal. The country’s worst spate of fires in recent years is blamed for seven deaths since they spread out of control over the weekend. Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro declared a state of calamity late Tuesday for the hardest-hit areas. Fellow European Union members Spain, France, and Italy, as well as Morocco, have sent water-dropping aircraft to help. Spain’s military has also sent over 200 soldiers trained in firefighting. The European Union says the hot, dry conditions in Portugal, coinciding with flooding in central Europe, are proof of a “climate breakdown.”