Fires rage in Portugal

France, Germany, Italy and Spain offered Portugal help to battle forest fires raging across the country yesterday after Lisbon made a request to the EU's executive Commission, officials and local media said.

France said it had sent two specially equipped aircraft to Portugal.

A spokesman for the French Civil Safety unit said the two Canadair aircraft would be lent to the Portuguese for at least two days, with an extension depending on need in France which is also battling forest fires of its own.

"Yesterday evening we received an official request from the Portuguese government asking the Commission to help," Commission spokesman Rupert Krietemeyer said. Germany's Interior Ministry said it would send three Super Puma police helicopters to arrive with up to 25 officers today. Two planes from Spain, which has also suffered forest fires and severe drought this year, started work in neighbouring Portugal early yesterday, state television reported.

Mr Krietemeyer said Italy would also send a Canadair CL 415 water bombardier aircraft, the same model sent by France, later yesterday. It was due to arrive in Portugal early today.

About 2,700 firefighters were battling 35 fires yesterday afternoon, a spokeswoman from Portugal's fire service said.

The European Commission has a unit that coordinates member states in emergencies to make sure countries that have specialist equipment and personnel are able to give help to others.