A helicopter with its load of water flies over a fire in a hillside in Portugal. Firefighters were starting to gain the upper hand over the deadly forest fires, which have swept across Portugal. Photo by AFP
Firefighters gained the upper hand over the deadly forest fires, which have swept across Portugal over the past week but remained on high alert as forecasters warned temperatures were set to rise and the death toll from the blazes climbed to 14. The cooler overnight temperatures in recent days, along with higher humidity levels, had helped firefighter extinguish or contain all but four large fires, which are currently burning in the centre of the country. But with winds expected to pick up and temperatures set to rise. The weather office is forecasting temperatures will hit 42 degrees Celsius (108 Fahrenheit) in some regions in the interior of Portugal on Wednesday.