A rare phenomenon known as a fire devil has been spotted amid the wildfires tearing through Portugal.

Fire devils, which look like blazing tornados, form when dust and flames are caught up in wind.

Portugal has been especially hard hit by wildfires this year because of a widespread drought.

On Sunday 1,000 firefighters were on the ground battling five wildfires across the country.

The fire devil was captured on camera by Portuguese broadcaster TVI on Saturday evening.

The worst outbreak of Portugal's fires killed 64 people in June, with many dying on a road as they fled the rampant flames in their cars.

Sorry, this video has expired Drone footage shows burnt-out cars littering Portugese roads

In August, the Civil Protection Agency recorded a single day record for the year of 268 separate fires.

The agency added 90 per cent of the fires were either intentionally or accidentally started by people.

Wildfires in Portugal this year have accounted for more than one-third of the burnt forest in the entire 28-nation European Union.

Firefighters work to stop a forest fire from reaching a Portuguese village in June. ( AP: Armando Franca )

ABC/wires