The man died in a Lisbon hospital where he had been treated since August 3 after suffering serious burns while battling a blaze in central Portugal, private radio TSF reported citing a fire department spokesman.

He is the second firefighter to have died as a result of the wildfires, which have caused nearly one billion euros (1.1 billion dollars) in damage.

The nation's forestry service estimates 215,000 hectares (531,000 acres) of land, an area almost as big as Luxembourg, have been devastated by fires so far this year.

Fires continued to burn in six of mainland Portugal's 18 districts on Thursday.

The most serious fires were currently burning in the southern Algarve province, which attracts the bulk of Portugal's tourists.

TERRA.WIRE