reel

Emergency services are under strain due to the ‘worst’ fires in Portugal in years, Al Jazeera’s Sonia Gallego says.

Thousands of firefighters backed by the military are battling dozens of wildfires across Spain and Portugal as the death toll has increased to six since the outbreaks began.

Two firefighters were killed on Sunday – one in each country, both in road accidents – taking the death toll to two in Portugal and four in Spain.

The Iberian Peninsula has been particularly affected by wildfires that have ravaged Southern Europe this summer. They have been fuelled by heatwaves and drought blamed on climate change.

On Monday, five major fires remained active in Portugal with more than 3,800 firefighters tackling them, civil protection authorities said.

“We still have firefighters who are monitoring the area here, the occasional smoke which is coming out from the land here, but of course, these are the charred remains of the flames that just completely consumed these hills,” Al Jazeera’s Sonia Gallego said, reporting from Tarouca, Portugal.

The fires in the Portuguese town are now under control, but emergency services are worried about the possibility of them reigniting, Gallego said.

Emergency services are already under “enormous strain” in what appears to be some of the “worst” fires in the area in years, she added.

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said a firefighter died on Sunday in a traffic accident that seriously injured two colleagues.

A former mayor in the eastern town of Guarda also died on Friday while trying to fight a fire.

About 2,160sq km (835sq miles) of land has burned across Portugal since the start of the year.

Neighbouring Spain battles blazes too

In Spain, more than 3,430sq km (1,325sq miles) of land has burned this year, setting a new national record, according to the European Forest Fire Information System.

The head of Spain’s Civil Protection and Emergencies agency, Virginia Barcones, told broadcaster TVE on Monday that there were 23 “active fires” that pose a serious and direct threat to people.

The fires, now in their second week, were concentrated in the northwestern regions of Galicia, Castile and Leon, and Extremadura.

In Ourense province of Galicia, firefighters battled to put out fires as locals in just shorts and T-shirts used water from hoses and buckets to try to stop the spread.

Officials in Castile and Leon said a firefighter died on Sunday night when the water truck he was driving flipped over on a steep forest road and down a slope.

Two other volunteer firefighters have died in Castile and Leon while a Romanian employee of a riding school north of Madrid lost his life trying to protect horses from a fire.

The wife swap continued on tonight’s Love Island – as Harry made a shock U-Turn and asked his ex Emma if she was tempted to spend time with him in the Hideaway…

It’s hard to keep up with the Love Island couples, as tonight the ‘wife swap’ continued. In the biggest twist yet, Harry and his ex-girlfriend Emma appeared to begin the rekindling process. Now, fans are certain it was their game plan all along.

The couple had been together for four years prior to their arrivals into the villa, and Harry got the shock of his life when his ex turned up at Casa Amor. They both made it clear that there was no chance of them getting back together, although tonight it looks like they may have had a change of heart…

Teasing, Harry asked Emma: “Would you have gone to the Hideaway with me last night?” as she responded: “You’re getting bored and you’re looking to stir the pot,” before hinting at a reunion.

Emma then went on to express her disapproval of Harry’s relationship with Helena, as she told him: “I don’t think people see you and her as the real deal… no one really sees you as end game or that you’re going to work on the outside… Everyone thinks you’ve taken the path of least resistance because perhaps you don’t feel like you can step up to the ones you really want.”

A sneaky Harry then tells Emma that ‘no one compares’ to her – and what he said next shocked fans. “I can’t compare anyone to you, of course I love you, I’m going to always have love for you. We’ve known each other for a very long time,” he said.

“Did we really come on Love Island to get back together?” However, their chat didn’t stay secret for long – as Emma told Helena she doesn’t see them lasting on the outside. She didn’t stop there however, telling Helena she didn’t see them lasting on the outside.

Elsewhere in the conversation, Harry and Emma began to joke about what they’d do “if they win” the whole show – leaving many fans to believe they had a game plan all along.

Fans were left in utter shock over Harry’s words, as one penned: “Wtf am I currently watching ??? Is Harry ok??? Is Emma ok ???” as another shocked fan said: “Wait Emma and Harry fully just spoke about their plan to win on camera. Could they be the ones that got dumped?”

“Emma and harry openly talking about gameplaying to the public is crazy!” exclaimed another. “Nah, did they hold hands then?!” questioned another shocked fan.

“Wait is Emma gameplanning a rekindle??????” questioned another, while another said: “Harry/Emma deffo playing a game together in here they both want each other clearly.”

Another fan predicted: “Emma and Harry will hookup once the show is over! They both ain’t over it.”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

This Morning viewers were left unimpressed on Monday’s show as they slammed a segment involving two dogs dressed in Bridgerton outfits.

Viewers of This Morning were left outraged by a segment featured in Monday’s programme.

Upon resuming their presenting roles after a week off, Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley greeted two pooches on the ITV show, suitably dolled up as characters from the popular Netflix series Bridgerton.

The pair of pups had bagged accolades at the latest Greenwich dog show for their uncanny resemblance to the regency styles showcased in Best Bridgerton Lookalike category.

Lola, the winner, donned an elegant blue gown with a perched crown atop her wig—a sight to behold, with her owner making sure it stayed put.

Charlotte, the French Bulldog who nabbed second place, sported a blush pink frock coupled with a golden blonde wig, report Wales Online.

As the segment unfolded, Cat couldn’t contain her laughter over the costumes and extended her kudos, although the lighthearted atmosphere didn’t translate to the audience at home.

People on X, previously known as Twitter, promptly voiced their dismay, labelling the canine costuming as ‘cruel’.

One person criticized: “Poor dressed up dog must be so hot with all that crap on! If you want something to dress up, buy a doll! So cruel! Makes me so angry.”

Echoing the sentiment, another shared: “Sorry that dog is not happy! #thismorning.”

Additionally, a viewer suggested: “I’d suggest, if you have to hold the costume on the dog at all times, it’s probably time to stop.”

Some animal lovers were left fuming after the segment, with one viewer tweeting: “ffs this is just ridiculous it’s animal cruelty that’s what it is…”

Another critic blasted: “This show is so twisted. Preaching one minute, the next showing this type of content. Perhaps get Dr Scott on at the same time!”

One concerned fan posted: “I hate seeing stuff like this encouraged on TV #ThisMorning” While another disgruntled viewer commented: “This is just ridiculous….. Just let you dogs be f****ng dogs and not an attempt to make you relevant.”

However, not everyone was opposed to the segment, with one amused viewer simply tweeting: “2 Victorian Dogs. Ah Ha.”

During the chat with the owner, it emerged that Lola had attempted to remove her crown before going on air, with Cat observing: “She seems very happy! Both of them seem so happy.”

The owner agreed: “Yes, I think she’s alright now, she’s settled.”

Ben then raised the issue of animal welfare, asking: “There will be people asking, ‘Are the dogs happy?’ because dressing dogs up can sometimes get some criticism. Are they happy wearing the outfits? She seems pretty unbothered.”

Charlotte’s owner explained that her pet was accustomed to wearing clothes, saying: “She’s pretty used to wearing clothes in general; when we go out, I tend to dress her up and try to coordinate our outfits.”

This Morning continues weekdays on ITV from 12:30pm