Portugal raises fire alert

Portugal raised its national fire alert to the second highest level yesterday, as rising temperatures and falling humidity threatened to mar a summer fire season that has so far been mild.

The authorities said they expect temperatures to rise in the coming days while humidity drops to below 20 per cent.

"Because of this, between August 4 and 7, we have raised the fire alert level to orange," the National Fire and Forest Institute said on its website, referring to the second-highest of four levels. The alert was previously at the third level. Up to now, Portuguese fires have been smaller in number and less intense than recent years - 2003 saw the worst on record, and last year was the second worst.

The amount of woodland destroyed by fires in the first six months of this year fell 84 per cent compared to the same period of last year to 13,971 hectares, the lowest level in 12 years.

In the past week firemen fought three different fires in the centre and north of the south European country.