The minister told a news conference some 75,000 hectares (185,000 acres) of land located in natural parks and other conservation areas were reduced to ash during the fires which swept central and southern Portugal, killing 18 people, during a heatwave that affected much of Europe in early August.

Portuguese forestry officials estimate some 362,000 hectares of forest and scrubland have been devastated by wildfires so far this year, much of it since the start of the dry weather at the end of July.

The wildfires also reduced to ashes more than 20,000 hectares of pastures, according preliminary estimates.

If confirmed this will be the largest area of Portugal, which is one of the EU's poorest members, hit by forest fires since figures began to be collated in 1980.

The government estimates the fires, which destroyed dozens of homes, burned down telephone poles and over 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) of power lines, caused nearly one billion euros (nearly 1.1 billion dollars) in damage.

Theias said the government was "looking into every available option" for foreign aid to help deal with the aftermath of the flames.

The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, agreed last month to give Portugal 31.65 million euros (34.45 million dollars) in response to a request for help from Lisbon.

Aside from the toll in lives, the fires dealt a blow to Portugal's forestry industry, which contributes three percent of the nation's gross domestic product and 10 percent of its industrial employment.

TERRA.WIRE