Firefighters battled for two hours to quell the flames in a sugar plantation near Vilamoura.
The fire consumed an area of cane and marshland located at the boundary between the Loulé municipality at Vilamoura, and the Albufeira council's border.
The fire started around 14.00 hrs and the difficult access for men and vehicles led to the use of a specialist helicopter to help control the flames by dumping water.
On the ground were "four fire teams, from Loulé, Albufeira to two from Faro with 10 vehicles, a total of 42 men, said the commander of relief operations for Faro, Vítor Vaz Pinto.
The smoke was clearly visible for several miles and, despite a day that saw scattered showers across much of the region, the fire was a reminder that much of the Algarve’s countryside is dry and highly flammable.
Again, the fire teams' response has been well coordinated, swift and effective.
