Death toll in Portuguese fires rises to 11

The death toll from Portugal's biggest wildfires in decades rose to 11 today after two more bodies were found in charred woodland…

The death toll from Portugal's biggest wildfires in decades rose to 11 today after two more bodies were found in charred woodland.

The bodies of a man and a woman were found near Castelo Branco, about 120 miles north-east of Lisbon, officials said.

Fire crews were still fighting eight major blazes, some of which have been burning out of control for days, said Antonio Santos, a spokesman for the National Fire Co-ordination Centre.

He said about 3,000 firefighters and 400 troops had been deployed. No homes were immediately under threat, he added.

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However, temperatures of around 40 C were expected to bring fresh outbreaks of fire today.

Emergency crews were hoping thick smoke would clear so aircraft could be used to dump water on the fires.

AFP