2024 Portugal wildfires
| 2024 Portugal wildfires | |
|---|---|
NASA satellite image, taken on 17 September, showing the clouds of smoke from the fires in Portugal. | |
| Date(s) | 15–20 September |
| Location | Central and Northern Portugal |
| Statistics | |
| Total fires | 1,040+ |
| Total area | 135,752 hectares (524.1 square miles) |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 9 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 175 |
| Structures destroyed | 60 |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Exceptionally dry conditions, excessive heat, strong wind gusts, possible arson |
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The 2024 Portugal wildfires were a series of more than 1,000 wildfires, at least 128 labeled as devastating, that spread through central and northern Portugal between 15 and 20 September 2024, although the fires were controlled by 20 September, authorities and firefighters remained on the ground in order to be vigilant for several more days, burning more than 135,000 hectares of land, resulting in the deaths of at least nine people - amongst them were four firefighters -, the evacuation of several villages, and a response of over 5,000 firefighters with assistance from the European Union.