ISTANBUL

Portugal continues to fight multiple forest fires under a state of alert as southern and northern parts of Europe are gripped by extreme weather, according to local media on Tuesday.

In Portugal, four major wildfires remain active, particularly in the northern regions of Vila Real and Mondim de Basto, where more than 800 firefighters are battling the blazes with the support of 282 vehicles and nine aircraft, the Portuguese news agency Lusa reported.

The largest fire, burning in Vila Real, has mobilized 522 firefighters. A 16-member special forces team from Latvia has also arrived to assist efforts on the ground.

Local authorities report that many emergency responders are exhausted after working for days and have called on the government to send reinforcements.

Portugal declared a state of alert until Aug. 7 as a new heatwave intensified over the weekend.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Spain, temperatures have soared to 42C (107F) in nine autonomous regions, prompting authorities to issue an “orange alert.”

The Interior Ministry warned that “the risk of new wildfires remains very high” despite earlier fires being brought under control.

An 85-year-old man in the southern city of Badajoz died from heatstroke, according to local health authorities.

The Iberian Peninsula continues to experience its second major heatwave this summer, with meteorologists warning that extreme temperatures will persist through the weekend.

Elsewhere in southeastern Europe, Bulgaria is also contending with wildfires.

A large forest fire broke out in the Harmanli region, burning through 5,000 acres between the villages of Dositeevo and Kolarovo, according to Mitko Chakalov, the head of the Haskovo Regional Department of Fire Safety and Population Protection.

Sixty firefighters, forest officials, and farmers have been deployed to the area. While the fire has not yet been contained, officials say there is no immediate danger to nearby populated areas, the Bulgarian national radio reported.

In northern Europe, the Finnish Meteorological Institute issued severe thunderstorm warnings for several regions, Finland's news agency YLE reported.

“If thunderstorms form a large, solid area, the wind gusts can cause more extensive and serious damage. In addition, thunderstorms can lead to hailstorms, as well as urban flooding,” meteorologist Ari-Juhani Punkka said.

Temperatures in Finland are expected to drop to around 20C (68F) following a heatwave that saw over 30C (86F) temperatures recorded for 22 consecutive days, a new national record.