British tourists were among those evacuated from hotels today as raging wildfires continued to scorch holiday hotspots in Portugal.
Searing heat and weeks of drought have led to the popular Algarve region being hit by infernos blighting the continent.
A blaze this morning rapidly took hold near the exclusive Quinta do Lago area - where a string of celebrities, including pundit Alan Shearer and England manager Gareth Southgate - have homes.
On Thursday Shearer filmed as a fire gripped woodland near the home of Southgate.
The fire became so dangerous today that hotels were evacuated by Portuguese authorities as it spread from woodland towards the town of Almancil.
At the Magnolia Hotel, in Almancil, Brit couple George Fitch, 25, and Georgina Napier-Munn, 23, were evacuated for the second time on their holiday.
They arrived on Wednesday morning and were evacuated shortly after because of nearby wildfires.
“We were in the shopping centre all day on Wednesday, there was so much smoke everywhere,” said Georgina.
George added: “We came back and relaxed yesterday for one day and got up early to go to the beach this morning and we had no idea this was going on.
“We’ve been evacuated again now, we just want to relax by the pool and enjoy the holiday. We’re off to an Irish bar now - what else can we do?”
David Walsh, 55, from Brentwood, Essex, checked in at the same hotel at 4pm today - only to be told it had been evacuated.
He was due to stay just one night at the Magnolia before switching hotels to join his three sons who are due to arrive tomorrow.
“I just arrived now to be told I can’t come in,” he said.
“I mean it’s just life isn’t it, there’s nothing I can do about it and it’s not the hotel’s fault - people need to be kept safe.”
Brits travelling to Portugal were this week warned to follow new measures put in place in large parts of the country.
According to the latest advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, mainland Portugal was in a state of contingency until midnight tonight.
While Portugal has declared an extension to its current state of emergency until Sunday.
As we arrived at Faro Airport today, thick, black smoke plumed from nearby woodland.
We arrived at the scene near the swanky Quinta Verde neighbourhood to find a woman screaming in horror and pleading for help as the blaze tore through land behind her home.
In the heart of the fire, locals attempted to swat the flames down with tree branches as they helped firefighters hose the spreading inferno.
The heat was scorching.
Local Daniel Palma, 25, who has a 16-day-old son, was one of those helping.
“I can’t sleep at night,” he told us. “I wake up at 4am to drive around the area to see if any fires have broken out.
“I need to protect my family. I’ve never seen anything like this before here. It’s absolutely terrible.”
Ryan Bennett, 47, from Solihull, is on holiday with his wife Niki and daughter Lily.
Earlier in the week ash swept across the swimming pool in the five star Conrad Hotel in Quinta do Lago, he said, as fires wreaked havoc across woodland nearby.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in our 12 years coming here,” he said.
“It was very close to the hotel on Wednesday and this morning we woke up again to more fires.
“I could see the flames from my window. They were really high - 50 or 60 feet.”
Portugal has been devastated by multiple blazes, including in the Quinta do Lago area, this week.
Paul Johnson, originally from London, owns local firm IBC Security, which has been helping authorities deal with the unprecedented fires.
“I’ve been here 23 years and have had the security firm for 15 and I’ve never known anything like this before,” he told the Mirror.
“We’re helping out how we can. We’ve fought fires before but never seen ones like these.
“This week everyone was evacuated from Vale do Lobo, that’s never happened before.
“It’s been the perfect storm of heat, wind and drought for weeks and weeks.”
One of his security company workers is Glenn Benson, 55, a retired traffic cop from Derbyshire.
He was among those chipping in to help - directing traffic - as short-staffed emergency services worked all hours to deal with the blaze.
Paul added: “Back home firefighters work shifts and take over from one another. Not here, it’s very stretched and so these guys just do not stop until it’s out.
“It’s brutal. They’re heroes.”
