Firefighters are faced with multiple re-ignitions of the Monchique blaze that at lunchtime was reported as 95% under control, click HERE

Early this evening the fire again threatened the outskirts of Monchique with more houses set alight.

A 28-year-old British man, said to be suffering from manic depression, has cut his mother’s throat at the luxury villa in Caramujeira, Lagoa, where they both had lived for 18 years.

Neighbours were alerted by the man’s strange behaviour, went to the villa and found the woman dead, lying on the terrace.

After more than three days, the Monchique fire is under control and nearly out with 95% of its area now reported as extinguished.

The fire has torn through nearly 20,000 hectares of the Serra de Monchique, starting in countryside to the north of Vila de Monchique, hitting the outskirts of the town and leaping to the south side late last night, causing the evacuation of the Macdonald Hotel, Caladas de Monchique and other villages, destroying homes in its path.

In the long running battle on the island of Armona between a British couple, Paul Roseby and James Tod, and the various State departments that control planning laws and the island’s development, there is good news at last that their island home may be able to be completed.

There have been many false starts and several expensive court cases to wade through but the couple have remained determined that the home they are building on Armona should be completed as this is what the Council has authorised.

The fire that started on Friday afternoon has become unstoppable, with people living in outlying parts of the town of Monchique now being evacuated to the centre as flames close in and threaten to destroy houses, several in outlying settlements are reported to be alight.

Hundreds of people already have been removed from the village of Cruz dos Madeiros (300 metres from Monchique) as the flames continue to advance rapidly and a major evacuation of the town is now underway.

The fire ravaging hillsides across the Monchique council area now threatens the town itself with latest reports indicating that the blaze is heading for the village of Alferce.

Despite over 800 firefighters, a dozen assorted aircraft and fire engines aplenty, the fire now seems out of control as it threatens to cut off the Council capital. Only 30% of the fire area is reported as being extinguished.

A collision between two vehicles on the notorious EN125 on Sunday morning, left one person dead and five injured.

The crash happened at the Vale Formoso area, near Almancil.

Portugal’s railway company has limited the sale of tickets for various Alfa Pendular and Intercity trains if these were on routes through baking hot areas of the country.

The company explained its policy was to limit the number of people on board so that those with tickets could have a comfortable temperature in which to travel.