
Beach-goers in northwestern Spain looked on in awe as a blaze raged across the Soutomayor village in Pontevedra, the site of one of several wildfires that spread across Portugal, Spain and France yesterday.

More than 2,500 firefighters from across France were called to the southern tip of the country to battle the blaze that spread across thousands of acres and destroyed homes - but spared the city of Marseilles.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Thursday four people were seriously injured: one civilian, a resident of the Marseilles region, and three firemen who succumbed to the flames.

The firemen were able to contain the fire before high southern winds spread it to the nation's second largest city, Marseilles.

Vice-Admiral Charles-Henri Garrier, the commander of Marseille's firefighter battalion, said: 'Today, at this time, the fire is, as we say, mastered. That means that it is not expanding anymore. There are no visible flames.'

More than 3,000 hectares of land were destroyed throughout the Marseilles, Herault and Pyrenees-Orientales regions.

A thousand residents from regions north of Marseilles such as Bitrolles and Pennes-Mirabeau had to spend the night in gymnasiums, and some woke up to see their homes destroyed.

Vacationers look across the Verdugo River at the fire raging in Ponteverdra's Soutomayor village in northwestern Spain

More than 1,500 firemen from all over the country were called to southern France to help extinguish a massive wildfire that spread throughout the region

Three firemen and one civilian perished in the fires, in addition to a yet unknown number of homes and buildings

The wildfires were fanned by the strong winds that threatened to draw the blaze to France's second city, Marseilles

Thankfully the firefighters were able to contain the flames before they spread to the city, which has a population of more than 850,000 people

A helicopter sprays fire extinguishing chemicals on a burning hillside near Marseille. The fires are the worst in the area for decades

A fire blazes at Les Pennes-Mirabeau, near Marseille. Whipped up by strong winds, the blaze took hold and has spread over 5,600 acres of scrubland, grass and some wooded areas

Stéphane Poyau, from the French firefighters' union, SNSPP-PATS, told Mail Online: 'When it is so dry and the wind is 80 to 100 kilometres hour it is impossible to stop the fire. All you can do is slow it down and try to protect buildings and people.'

Mr Poyau, who advises on civil protection in Europe, said the only natural way a fire can start is through lightning strikes and in the absence of them the fires near Marseille could only have begun by accident or through a deliberate act.

He said there had been some speculation that terrorists could have been possible but he said that was 'highly unlikely'.

Stephanie Canovat, who lives in Vitrolles, told Mail Online: 'I think the fire is criminal because there were four outbreaks at the same time in Fos, Martigues, Vitrolles and Port St Louis.

'Many people have lost their houses, including my cousin, but fortunately nobody died. The fire is now out. Some roads are blocked but we are not too alarmed.'

Marseille's fire chief, Richard Mallie, told a local radio station: 'The drought of the last few months and the strong mistral winds worked like a powder keg.

'The fires spread at phenomenal speed, 2,500 metres an hour.'

Florian Aublanc tweeted: 'One can only applaud the courage and selflessness of the fire brigade to fires #incendiemarseille.'

Twitter user Julien Courbet agreed: 'Courage and congratulations for firefighters in the south and to all who live this drama!'

Marseille's Deputy Mayor, Julien Ruas, said firebreaks had been created to protect northern suburbs of the city.

More than 2,000 firefighters supported by helicopters and planes equipped with water tanks were being used to fight the flames, which have so far destroyed at least 25 houses.

The La Provence news website also showed pictures of extensive fire damage at a primary school in Pinchinades, near Les Pennes-Mirabeau.

Four firemen were injured when their lorry became trapped yesterday, but they managed to escape.

Two motorways and many minor roads have been shut, and some flights to Marseille airport have been cancelled.

Another lo cal fire chief Jean Rampon said: 'Three people have suffered burns, including one who is seriously injured.'

He said they had contained fires blazing on the northern outskirts of Marseille last night but said: 'Violent winds are exposing the area to the risk of new fires' and added the dry vegetation in the area was a 'matter of concern'.

The fires are the latest threat to the tourist industry in France which has suffered the impact of a terrorist attack in Nice, football violence at Euro 2016 in Marseille and strikes by various workers protesting at President Hollande's planned labour reforms.

People evacuate their horses from an area near Pennes-Mirabeau where the flames are out of control

Several buildings were destroyed in the town of Vitrolles, 20 miles north of Marseille, as thousands were evacuated from an area which is always popular with British tourists.

A spokesman for the local fire service said the area was 'still extremely dangerous, as the fires can take hold again in an instant.'

He said more very high winds were forecast, and aircraft were trying to douse flames on a hillside close to a motorway.

The mistral is a strong, northwesterly wind that blows across Provence and southern France.

The fires have devastated a large area in southern France and prevailing winds are threatening to send them eastwards towards Marseille and the historic city of Aix-en-Provence

He said discarded cigarettes or illegal barbecues were probably to blame for the fires and the hillsides were tinder dry this year after low winter rainfall and a particularly hot spring.

One man has been arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with one of the fires.

There have been no serious injuries among locals or holidaymakers so far, but the emergency services said 20 firefighters had been treated for smoke inhalation and shock.

The Mayor of Marseille, Jean-Claude Gaudin, tweeted: 'The fire seems to be less intense than before, but is not yet under control.'

Driving towards Marseille the skies are filled with smoke from wildfires which have destroyed large areas of scrubland

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve visited firefighters in Aix-en-Provence and said: 'The situation has been complicated by the weather, with a strong wind and lack of rain for several weeks.

'The goal of our forces is to completely control the fire so that it does not reach the towns, especially Marseille.'

But France is not the only country suffering from wildfires this summer.

A Portuguese fireman hoses down flames in a residential area of the city of Funchal on Madeira. Three people are reported to have been killed

Portugal - and football star Cristiano Ronaldo's home island of Madeira in particular - have also been hard hit, with three people killed and 150 homes and a hotel destroyed.

Ronaldo wrote on Instagram today: 'I'm watching what's happening in Madeira (and everywhere else in the country) with a lump in my throat.

'Good luck to everyone and thank you to the firefighters for risking their lives to save others. I am with you.'

Cristiano Ronaldo posted an image of the fires with the flag of Madeira on his Instagram account and of course got 706,000 likes within hours. He thanked the firefighters for 'risking their lives to save others'

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of causing one of the fires on Madeira.

Civil protection official Rubina Leal said the temperature in Madeira was 38 degrees Celsius, the hottest recorded on the island - which is usually cooled by Atlantic breezes - while winds gusted to 55 miles an hour.

Portugal's EU partners have answered a call to assist with an Italian air tanker joining two Spanish water bombers which have already been deployed. Morocco has also offered to contribute two more planes.

The Spanish authorities are also dealing with five major fires raging in the northwestern region of Galicia, with 10 others under control.

This satellite image shows a plume of smoke blowing to the south-west from the intense fires on the island of Madeira

At Pontevedra in Galicia in north-west Spain, close to the border with Portugal, holidaymakers break off from swimming and sunbathing to gaze at the fires spreading across the hillside

In the south of France, residents watch the flames burning near Vitrolles as two men (right) go running, almost unaware of the danger

Firefighters - or pompiers as they are known in France - are risking their lives to staunch the flames. Here a fireman hauls a hose down a hillside only yards from an out of control fire

As darkness fell last night the firefighters continued to hose down forest areas in an effort to prevent the fire spreading

The night sky in Marseille is lit up by the flames on the hillside. Residents are terrified it will spread to the suburbs

A fireman appears to be almost walking on fire in this dramatic image

Motorists drive on the highway next to firefighters spraying fire extinguisher as part of an attempt to struggle against a fire that spread near Vitrolles, southern France

A man holds his head in his hands and a woman hugs her daughter as they gaze at the fires last night

More than 2,000 firefighters are working flat out and more are being drafted in to relieve the exhausted force

A fire blazes at Les Pennes-Mirabeau, near Marseille, southern France last night

A helicopter prepares to douse fires burning beside a motorway with special chemicals

The fire destroyed a number of cars and vans at a dealership in Vitrolles, near Marseille

Four firefighters were injured when their vehicle became trapped by flames but they managed to escape

French police stand at a roadblock as smoke fills the sky and blocks the sun as fires burn north of Marseille

The wildfires blazed across hillsides at Les Pennes-Mirabeau, near Marseille, last night, even endangering power lines

Much of southern France has become tinder dry after a winter with little rain and a scorching hot spring and early summer

When the sun came up the flames had burnt themselves out, leaving only twisted bushes and scorched earth

A gendarme leads a horse to safety from an area endangered by the flames

Smoke hangs low as it fills the sky while fires burn north of Marseille

Smoke has made driving hazardous on motorways in the area and high winds are set to make matters worse

Smoke from a fire near Fos-Sur-Mer drifts across the centre of Marseille, a large port city

High winds have exacerbated the problem and are set to make matters worse in the next few days

France's Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has flown to the south of France to support firefighters' efforts

Large parts of Europe are facing menacing fires after a dry spring and summer. This man in a village near Macinhata do Vouga in central Portugal uses a puny garden house to battle flames raging near his property

Nearby this Portuguese fireman waits for his hose to be connected as a huge fire blazes out of control behind him. There have been 100 separate fires in mainland Portugal, as well as several on the island of Madeira

Firefighters tackle a blaze at Boa Aldeia, Viseu, Portugal. Around 3,000 firefighters across the country are battling the flames which have decimated tinder dry woodland and shrubbery

A couple gaze at the gutted homes on the outskirts of Funchal, the capital of Portugal's Madeira island. More than 1,000 tourists have been evacuated as fires threaten resorts on the island

Firefighters prepare to tackle a forest fire at Calheta on Madeira. The fires on the island are now under control today but authorities fear a return of the flames with continuing violent winds

Firefighters fight a forest fire at Calheta on Madeira. Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, who hails from the island, praised firefighters for 'risking their lives to save others'