Portugal deployed 2,500 firefighters on Thursday to fight 10 active wildfires in the North, evacuating several villages and arresting a suspect linked to four blazes. The most critical fires threatened homes and businesses, with crews working to protect residents. While some fires were contained overnight, others spread, forcing road closures.
Portuguese authorities arrested a 32-year-old man believed to be responsible for several fires earlier this month. Meanwhile, much of the country remains under maximum fire alert as temperatures continue to rise.
The intensity and destruction of wildfires around the world have grown exponentially in recent years. Each year brings even more devastating disasters, setting terrible new records across many countries.
Click through the gallery to learn more about some of the most catastrophic fires in recent history.