Tourist homes are among the properties being razed to the ground as forest fires sweep parts of Europe.
Villages, homes and beaches in Spain, France and Portugal have been evacuated as fire-fighters attack the flames with water-carrying planes and helicopters, BBC News reports.
In Portugal, fires have broken out in Faro, near Porto and Villa Real. Houses in the tourist area of the southern Algarve have also been destroyed.
France has been hit by brush fires near Marseille, which the authorities believe were started by arsonists.
“There are criminals behind this. We can see that because the fires started next to the highway. We have already made some arrests. We want to bring those responsible for these fires to justice,” the BBC quoted French Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin as saying.
In Spain, soaring temperatures, in some parts above the 40C mark, are to blame for the outbreaks.
A road used by pilgrims travelling to Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain has had to be closed, and fires are raging in Andalucia.
