A Canadair water-dropping plane has crashed in central Portugal while fighting the wildfires that have killed 64 people, an official says.

Maria Jose Andre, from the Air Accident Office, said that the Civil Protection Agency, which is overseeing firefighting operations, informed her office on Tuesday afternoon that the plane had crashed.

She says her office immediately sent a crash investigation team to the area, but that she had no details about the plane, its crew or where the crash happened.

Officials with the Portuguese government and the Civil Protection Agency said they could not confirm the crash.

Portugal’s secretary of state for the interior, Jorge Gomes, said: “We are investigating if (the reports) are true.”

Civil Protection Agency spokesman Fausto Coutinho says authorities had received reports of a plane crash near where wildfires are raging and dispatched a helicopter to check.

A reporter for a Portuguese public broadcaster says he heard a loud explosion in hills about six miles from the region where firefighters are battling the blaze.

Antena 1 public radio reporter Pedro Sa Guerra says there was thick smoke over the area on Tuesday caused by the devastating wildfire in Pedrogao Grande.

He says a local woman told him she saw a plane crash in a fireball. </s> The Latest on the fatal wildfires in Portugal (all times local):

A spokesman for Portugal's Civil Protection Agency says he cannot confirm that a Canadair water-dropping aircraft has crashed while fighting deadly wildfires in the central part of the country.

Vitor Vaz Pinto says all 13 planes hired by the agency to help fight the blazes were accounted for on Tuesday evening.

But 30 water-dropping aircraft were engaged in battling the blazes, some operating under bilateral agreements with the Portuguese government and others as part of a European Union cooperation agreement.

Planes from Spain, France, Italy and Morocco are among those helping to fight the fires.

Vaz Pinto told a briefing for journalists on Tuesday: "I can't confirm or deny that any aircraft are missing."

An official with Portugal's Air Accident Office earlier told The Associated Press and Portuguese media that the Civil Protection Agency informed the office that a Canadair had crashed.

Vaz Pinto says airborne search-and-rescue teams are looking for wreckage among the smoke-shrouded hills where wildfires are still raging.

A reporter for a Portuguese public broadcaster says he heard a loud explosion in hills about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the region where firefighters are battling a fatal wildfire and a water-dropping airplane reportedly crashed.

Antena 1 public radio reporter Pedro Sa Guerra says there was thick smoke over the area on Tuesday caused by the devastating wildfire in Pedrogao Grande, where 64 people died on Saturday when a blaze swept across the region.

He says a local woman told him she saw a plane crash in a fireball on Tuesday.

A spokesman for Spain's Ministry of Defense said it had not lost a plane, denying earlier reports that a Spanish water-dropping plane had crashed.

An official with Portugal's Air Accident Office says a Canadair water-dropping plane has crashed in central Portugal while fighting wildfires that killed 64 people.

Maria Jose Andre told The Associated Press that the Civil Protection Agency, which is overseeing firefighting operations, informed her office Tuesday afternoon that the plane had crashed.

She says her office immediately sent a crash investigation team to the area but that she had no details about the plane, its crew or where the crash happened.

Officials with the Portuguese government and the Civil Protection Agency said they could not confirm the crash.

Portugal's secretary of state for the interior, Jorge Gomes, said: "We are investigating if (the reports) are true."

Civil Protection Agency spokesman Fausto Coutinho says authorities had received reports of a plane crash near where wildfires are raging and dispatched a helicopter to check.

Firefighters in Portugal say they are close to bringing under control a major wildfire that killed 64 people in the central area of the country.

More than 1,000 firefighters and nine water-dropping aircraft are battling the blaze in Pedrogao Grande, which is raging for a third consecutive day.

The Civil Protection Agency says it hopes to contain the flames Tuesday, though temperatures forecast to reach 43 degrees Celsius (109 Fahrenheit) and gusting winds remain a threat.

The death toll was raised from 63 to 64 late Monday.

Government officials say Prime Minister Antonio Costa has ordered an investigation into what happened on Saturday night, when the deaths occurred. </s> An official with Portugal’s Air Accident Office says a Canadair water-dropping plane has crashed in central Portugal while fighting wildfires that killed 64 people.

Maria Jose Andre told The Associated Press that the Civil Protection Agency, which is overseeing firefighting operations, informed her office Tuesday afternoon that the plane had crashed.

She says her office immediately sent a crash investigation team to the area but that she had no details about the plane, its crew or where the crash happened.

Officials with the Portuguese government and the Civil Protection Agency said they could not confirm the crash.

Portugal’s secretary of state for the interior, Jorge Gomes, said: “We are investigating if (the reports) are true.”

Civil Protection Agency spokesman Fausto Coutinho says authorities had received reports of a plane crash near where wildfires are raging and dispatched a helicopter to check. </s> LISBON, June 20 (Reuters) - An airplane involved in firefighting efforts to extinguish huge forest fires in central Portugal crashed on Tuesday, local media reported.

Television stations SIC and TVI said the Canadair aircraft had crashed near Pedrogao Grande, centre of the biggest fire that has killed 64 people since Saturday.

News agency Lusa cited a source from the civil protection agency saying a helicopter was on its way to where the plane had gone down. </s> LISBON, Portugal — Emergency services in Portugal said Tuesday they were making headway in controlling a major wildfire that killed 64 people in the central area of the country, but the welcome news came as another blaze nearby grew in size and amid reports that a water-dropping plane had crashed.

The Civil Protection Agency said about 1,200 firefighters and nine water-dropping aircraft were fighting the deadly wildfire in Pedrogao Grande, which was raging for a third consecutive day about 90 miles north of Lisbon. Officials said the blaze was mostly contained, though still burning fiercely.

Later in the day, an official with Portugal’s Air Accident Office said a Canadair water-dropping plane has crashed in central Portugal while fighting the wildfires. Maria Jose Andre told The Associated Press that the Civil Protection Agency, which is overseeing firefighting operations, informed her office that the plane had crashed.

Her office immediately sent a crash investigation team to the area but that she had no details about the plane, its crew or where the crash happened, she said.

Officials with the Portuguese government and the Civil Protection Agency said they could not confirm the crash.

“We are investigating if (the reports) are true,” Secretary of State for the Interior Jorge Gomes said.

Civil Protection Agency spokesman Fausto Coutinho says authorities had received reports of a plane crash near where wildfires are raging and dispatched a helicopter to check.

Some firefighting resources were being diverted to Gois, about 20 kilometers from Pedrogao Grande, where almost 800 firefighters and four planes were battling the flames. Commander Vitor Vaz Pinto told reporters said the Gois wildfire was “very fast and very explosive” and had forced the evacuation of 11 hill villages.

Temperatures forecast to reach 109 degrees, gusting winds and bone-dry woodland were fueling the blazes, Vaz Pinto said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Antonio Costa ordered an investigation into what happened on Saturday night when the deaths occurred, 47 of them on a road as people fled the flames.

Costa’s order asked three questions: whether extreme weather could explain the scale of the disaster, why emergency services communications at times didn’t work, and why the road where the deaths occurred was not closed. </s> By The Associated Press

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — The Latest on the fatal wildfires in Portugal (all times local):

An official with Portugal’s Air Accident Office says a Canadair water-dropping plane has crashed in central Portugal while fighting wildfires that killed 64 people.

Maria Jose Andre told The Associated Press that the Civil Protection Agency, which is overseeing firefighting operations, informed her office Tuesday afternoon that the plane had crashed.

She says her office immediately sent a crash investigation team to the area but that she had no details about the plane, its crew or where the crash happened.

Officials with the Portuguese government and the Civil Protection Agency said they could not confirm the crash.

Portugal’s secretary of state for the interior, Jorge Gomes, said: “We are investigating if (the reports) are true.”

Civil Protection Agency spokesman Fausto Coutinho says authorities had received reports of a plane crash near where wildfires are raging and dispatched a helicopter to check.

Firefighters in Portugal say they are close to bringing under control a major wildfire that killed 64 people in the central area of the country.

More than 1,000 firefighters and nine water-dropping aircraft are battling the blaze in Pedrogao Grande, which is raging for a third consecutive day.

The Civil Protection Agency says it hopes to contain the flames Tuesday, though temperatures forecast to reach 43 degrees Celsius (109 Fahrenheit) and gusting winds remain a threat.

The death toll was raised from 63 to 64 late Monday.

Government officials say Prime Minister Antonio Costa has ordered an investigation into what happened on Saturday night, when the deaths occurred. </s> A water-bombing plane fighting huge forest fires in central Portugal has crashed, local officials say.

They say the Canadair aircraft went down near Pedrógão Grande. So far there has been no information about casualties.

More than 1,000 firefighters on the ground and aircraft from several countries are battling the blazes.

The fires have claimed the lives of at least 64 people and injured more than 130 since Saturday.

Many of the victims died in their cars as they tried to escape.

Civil protection officials have said they expect the blazes to be under control soon, but warn that soaring temperatures are hampering efforts.

The week's highest temperatures in the area are expected to reach about 38C (100F) and, together with windy conditions, could reignite fires that have already been brought under control.

Why are Portugal's wildfires so deadly?

Wildfires are an annual menace in Portugal. More broke out there between 1993 and 2013 than in Spain, France, Italy or Greece, the European Environment Agency reported last year, despite the country's relatively small geographical size.

Given that, was this year's tragedy preventable? Could Portugal have done anything more to save lives and minimise the damage?

Read more: Just what makes Portugal such a tinderbox?

One of the worst-hit areas was around the village of Nodeirinho. Thirty bodies were found inside cars and another 17 next to vehicles on the N-236 road.

Portuguese media have dubbed the N-236 the "road of death".

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa has questioned why the emergency services did not close the road. </s> Image copyright Reuters Image caption The fires have claimed the lives at least 64 people since Saturday

Reports that a firefighting plane crashed during an operation to tackle huge blazes in central Portugal have been denied by the country's civil protection authority.

This contradicts earlier reports that a Canadair aircraft went down near the central Pedrógão Grande area.

More than 1,000 firefighters on the ground and planes from several countries are battling the fires.

The fires have claimed the lives of at least 64 people since Saturday.

Many of the victims died in their cars as they tried to escape.

More than 130 people have been injured.

Portugal fires: Varzeas mourns villagers who fled

Civil protection officials have said they expect the blazes to be under control soon, but warn that soaring temperatures are hampering efforts.

The week's highest temperatures in the area are expected to reach about 38C (100F) and, together with windy conditions, could reignite fires that have already been brought under control.

Why are Portugal's wildfires so deadly?

Wildfires are an annual menace in Portugal. More broke out there between 1993 and 2013 than in Spain, France, Italy or Greece, the European Environment Agency reported last year, despite the country's relatively small geographical size.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Gareth Roberts: 'You could hear the roar of the fire coming... we just sat and waited to die'

Given that, was this year's tragedy preventable? Could Portugal have done anything more to save lives and minimise the damage?

Read more: Just what makes Portugal such a tinderbox?

One of the worst-hit areas was around the village of Nodeirinho. Thirty bodies were found inside cars and another 17 next to vehicles on the N-236 road.

Portuguese media have dubbed the N-236 the "road of death".

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa has questioned why the emergency services did not close the road. </s> Portugal has declared three days of national mourning after 61 people were killed in raging forest fires.

Many of those killed died while trapped in their cars as huge flames swept over a road amid intense fires Prime Minister Antonio Costa described as the "the biggest tragedy" the country has experienced in years.

A lightning strike is believed to have sparked the initial blaze in the Pedrogao Grande area after investigators found a tree that was hit during a "dry thunderstorm".

Such storms are frequent when falling water evaporates before reaching the ground because of high temperatures.

Authorities had previously said that temperatures which have soared to 40C in recent days might have played a part in the inferno, centred about 95 miles north-east of the capital Lisbon.

Interior Ministry official Jorge Gomes said 59 people died from the flames and suffocating smoke, while another two people perished in a traffic accident related to the fires.

Another 54 people have been injured, including four firefighters and a child with serious injuries.

More than 350 soldiers have joined the 700 firefighters who have been struggling to put out the flames since Saturday.

A huge wall of thick smoke and bright red flames could at one point be seen towering over the top of trees near houses in the wooded region.

Local television showed terrifying images of several people on a road trying to escape the intense smoke that had reduced visibility to just a few metres.

Mr Gomes said at least 30 of those killed were in vehicles engulfed by flames on a road between the towns of Figueiro dos Vinhos and Castanheira de Pera.

He added that firefighting crews are having difficulties battling the flames, which are "very violent" in at least two of the four fronts.

A Spanish firefighting aircraft is assisting and another is expected to arrive later on Sunday, while France is also sending three aircraft.

In a tweet on Sunday, Mr Costa sent his "deepest regret for the victims... and a word of encouragement and strength for all who help combat this scourge".

The loss of life due to a forest fire is the biggest in memory in Portugal. It has been over 50 years since 25 Portuguese soldiers perished fighting wildfires in 1966.

"We are most likely facing the biggest tragedy of human life that we have known," Mr Costa added.

Valdemar Alves, mayor of Pedrogao Grande, said: "This is a region that has had fires because of its forests, but we cannot remember a tragedy of these proportions.

"I am completely stunned by the number of deaths."

Many world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Pope Francis and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have expressed solidarity with Portugal.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy tweeted that he is "overwhelmed by the tragedy at Pedrogao Grande. The Portuguese people can count on our solidarity, support and care". </s> Secretary of State for the Interior Jorge Gomes said 43 people burned to death, mostly trapped in their cars engulfed by flames in Leiria.

A firefighter from the Portuguese National Republican Guard works to stop a forest fire from reaching the village of Avelar, central Portugal. (Photo: AP)

Penela (Portugal): Raging forest fires in central Portugal have killed at least 57 people, most of who burnt to death in their cars, and injured scores of others, the government said Sunday.

Nearly 600 firefighters and 160 vehicles were dispatched late Saturday to tackle the blaze, which broke out in the afternoon in the municipality of Pedrogao Grande, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Coimbra, before spreading fast across several fronts.

"Unfortunately this seems to be the greatest tragedy we have seen in recent years in terms of forest fires," a visibly moved Prime Minister Antonio Costa said.

"The number of fatalities could still rise," he said at the Civil Protection headquarters near Lisbon. "The priority now is to save those people who could still be in danger."

The European Union said it would provide firefighting planes following a request from Lisbon.

"France has offered three planes through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and they will be quickly sent to assist the local emergency efforts," EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides said.

Portugal was sweltering under a severe heatwave Saturday, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in several regions. Some 60 forest fires broke out across the country during the night, with around 1,700 firefighters battling to put them out.

Secretary of State for the Interior Jorge Gomes said 43 people burned to death, mostly trapped in their cars engulfed by flames in the Leiria region. At least 59 were injured.

The flames spread "with great violence", moving out on four fronts, Gomes said. "It is difficult to say if they were fleeing the flames or were taken by surprise."

Dry thunderstorms could have been the cause of the fatal blaze, according to the prime minister.

A number of villages were affected by the main fire and evacuation procedures had been put in place for some of them, Costa added. Officials were not immediately able to comment on the extent of the damage.

Spain dispatched two water-bombing planes on Sunday morning to aid the Portuguese fire service on the ground, Costa said.

He added a period of national mourning would be announced shortly.

"My thoughts are with the victims in Portugal," EU commission head Jean-Claude Juncker tweeted. "I commend the bravery of the firefighters. EU civil protection mechanism activated & will help."

President Marcelo Rebelo went to the Leiria region to meet families of the victims, "sharing their pain in the name of all the Portuguese people," he said.

Firefighters did "all they could" when faced with the blaze, he added. Dozens of people who fled their homes were taken in by residents of the nearby municipality of Ansiao.

"There are people who arrived saying they didn't want to die in their homes, which were surrounded by flames," Ansiao resident Ricardo Tristao told reporters.

Portugal was hit by a series of fires last year which devastated more than 100,000 hectares (1,000 square kilometres) of the mainland.

Fires on the tourist island of Madeira in August killed three people, while over the course of 2016 around 40 homes were destroyed and 5,400 hectares of land burned.
A Canadair firefighting plane reportedly crashes in Pedrógão Grande, central Portugal, while tackling raging wildfires. However, this claim has been denied by Portuguese authorities.