Forest Fires Rage In Portugal, Spain, France - AFP

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"Two people burnt to death after their car was engulfed by a huge forest fire in Spain, officials said Wednesday as firefighters battled blazes in many parts of sweltering southern Europe. Some 700 Portuguese firefighters, backed by water trucks, helicopters and airplanes, were battling to put out seven major fires burning out of control across the country, while in France authorities said they had succeeded in containing a large blaze.

The worst-hit area of Portugal was the southern Algarve province, one of Europe's top tourist destinations, as two large fires which had burned in a central mountain area since Monday joined into one large blaze overnight near the city of Loule.

Roughly 350 firefighters were at the scene of the fire, which has already reduced at least 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) of scrub and farmland, including hundreds of cork trees, to ash, and was threatening dozens of homes on Wednesday night.

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Four firefighters have been injured, and dozens of homes have been destroyed, in Portugal since the wildfires began Saturday when temperatures reached 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) in some parts."

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http://www.terradaily.com/2004/040728223446.1o36i2j7.html