At least three people died in several fires in Portugal, DPA reported. A total of 17 people were injured.

One of the victims is a firefighter who died of a heart attack while on the job. The bodies of two more victims were also found. One was a forest worker who was on fire and the other died of a heart attack while trying to put out the flames near his home.

About 3.500 firefighters, military and civil defense personnel are battling the blaze. The situation is most difficult in the northern and central parts of the country.

Prime Minister Luiz Montenegro postponed all engagements for tonight because of the fires.

Spain, France, Italy and Greece sent two planes each to fight the fires at the request of Lisbon.

In the Iveiro district, in the north of Portugal, three large fires and several smaller ones are raging. The evacuation of the residents of Albergaria-a-Veja, a town of about 25.000 inhabitants 60 kilometers south of Porto, where there is also a fire, has begun.

Smoke from the fires blanketed the sky over the resort town of Aveiro and other towns in the area, and authorities urged people to stay home and stock up on water.

Several highways have been closed due to the flames. There are also traffic violations in trains and intercity buses.