Hot weather has pushed over 50 municipalities across nine mainland districts in Portugal to maximum fire risk, complicating containment efforts and resulting in seven deaths since the weekend, writes Euronews.

The northern and central regions of mainland Portugal remain engulfed in flames, with the Aveiro district seeing the largest deployment of firefighting personnel, despite a calmer outlook.

The fires in Sever do Vouga (Pessegueiro do Vouga and Sever do Vouga) and Albergaria-a-Velha have begun to ease. As of Wednesday morning, more than 1,000 firefighters, supported by 320 vehicles, were actively involved in the response.

João Oliveira, the municipal coordinator of Civil Protection in Albergaria-a-Velha, told the Lusa news agency that the fire is “practically contained” but more than 40 houses have been affected by the flames.

Around 400 firefighters were working to combat the fire that broke out in the municipality of Oliveira de Azeméis, in the early hours of Wednesday.

Some roads remain closed as authorities monitor the spread of the flames.