Morocco Sends Four Canadair Planes to Battle Deadly Forest Fires in Portugal

Morocco will send up to four Canadair aircraft to Portugal to help deal with the fires that have already reduced ten hectares of forest to ashes in the center and north of the country, leaving families homeless and without resources. In a statement to CNN, Duarte Costa, president of the Portuguese Civil Protection, specified that these aircraft should arrive on site this Wednesday to reinforce the exhausted Portuguese teams.

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Spain, Italy and France have each already sent two planes after the Portuguese government requested the assistance of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism on Monday. "We are in a critical situation, at the limit of our capacities, and that is why we are asking for the help of the European mechanism, of Spain and of Morocco," Costa said.

The fires in Portugal have killed a total of seven people, including four firefighters and three civilians, and have destroyed dozens of homes and consumed hectares of forest. The government has declared a state of disaster in all municipalities affected by the fires, allowing civil protection agents to access private properties. More than 5,000 firefighters are fighting the fires. In a statement, the Portuguese National Guard (GNR) said that seven people suspected of having started criminal fires in the districts of Leiria, Castelo Branco, Porto and Braga have been arrested since Saturday.