More than 100 wildfires stretched thousands of firefighters to the limit in northern Portugal on Wednesday, with seven deaths since the worst spate of fires in recent years spread out of control over the weekend.

Portuguese authorities have detained 14 suspected arsonists linked to deadly wildfires. These fires have claimed lives and devastated vast areas. Experts highlight rural neglect and economic motives behind the arson.

Portuguese police have arrested 14 suspected arsonists this week, who may have set some of the dozens of deadly wildfires raging across the country, contributing to the fire risks stemming from climate change and rural depopulation.

LISBOA (AP) — Más de 100 incendios forestales llevaban al límite a miles de bomberos en el norte de Portugal. Siete personas han muerto desde el miércoles, cuando comenzó el peor brote de fuegos en los últimos años.

More than 5,000 personnel are battling a number of wildfires, the authorities said, and the prime minister called it an “extremely difficult weather situation.”

Nine aircraft were backing more than 700 firefighters combating flames near the town of Castro Daire in the district. Spain, Italy, France and Morocco have sent water-bombing aircraft. Data from the European Forest Fire Information Service showed that large-scale blazes had burned an area of more than 105,

At least seven people have died after wildfires in the Aveiro and Viseu areas of Portugal, although cooler weather has helped tackle the flames. Dozens of homes have been destroyed and tens of thousands of hectares of forest and scrubland have been lost to the flames.

Thousands of firefighters continued their efforts to extinguish over 100 wildfires in northern Portugal on Wednesday.

On the day that a wildfire threatened his village in Portugal, Alexandre Santos was left on his own to try to save his livestock warehouse from the flames.