Portugal struck again by forest fires

Parts of Portugal were struck by forest fires on Thursday.

High temperatures set off as many as 15 large fires in the district of Viseu in the north of the country.

Some 200 firefighters were called in to bring them under control.

Bush fires are common in Portugal at this time of year.

Last year, the country saw the worst wave of fires in a decade, which destroyed 118,000 hectares of land and left three firefighters dead.

Media reports in Portugal have speculated the recent economic crisis would force heavy budget cuts to its firefighting services.

Those suggestions have been rejected by the government.

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