More than 163,000 hectares of Portugal 's forest have burned this year , three times more than usual , prompting the government to declare parts of the country in a " state of public calamity " . With just over 2 percent of the EU landmass, Portugal accounts for almost a third of burnt areas in the union this year. The move includes the triggering of " preventative effects " in affected regions , ahead of a weekend in which temperatures are expected to reach . Last weekend , 40 fires blazed countrywide , while in the past several days , many people have been hurt .
More than 163,000 hectares of Portugal 's forest have burned this year , three times more than usual , prompting the government to declare parts of the country in a " state of public calamity " . The move includes the triggering of " preventative effects " in affected regions , ahead of a weekend in which temperatures are expected to reach . Last weekend , 40 fires blazed countrywide , while in the past several days , many people have been hurt .