The number of firefighters involved in tackling the fire that has swept from the Monchique hills towards Portimão has risen to 668 with 216 vehicles and 8 aircraft attacking the blaze on several fronts.
Some inaccessible land has been left to burn as firefighter command concentrates on areas where a difference can be made and where property is threatened.
Commander Abel Gomes said that "the strong wind and difficult access remain the major obstacles in fighting this fire."
Monchique mayor, Rui André, said that "about 1,800 hectares have been destroyed since the fire started in Fóia last weekend and reignited on Thursday."
Last Saturday and Sunday, the fire consumed a total of 403 hectares. The total area now burned is some four times this original estimate.
Firefighting command is grateful to the army, deployed in areas where the fire has been put out, to check there are no reoccurrences.
After 52 people were evacuated from their homes by midday on Friday there has been no further displacement as the fire is active in unpopulated areas.
There was a fire at midday today in Almancil but this was put out quickly. An area of cork oak forest was damaged but the blaze was quelled after two hours.
Air support for the Monchique fire again will be grounded this evening while exhausted firefighting teams continue to tackle a fire that has the added attribute of having been started deliberately.
Much of the Algarve's population has been shocked by the severity and spread of the fire, responding by delivering essential supplies to fire stations across the region. This support is encouraged and social media has been doing a good job in organising drop-off points and keeping readers abreast of news.
