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Wildfires warning issued for Funchal

Three people have been killed and a thousand are reported to have been evacuated from homes and hotels as wildfires on the Portuguese island of Madeira hit the capital of Funchal.

A woman died when her home caught fire near the centre of the city and another two people were killed in their homes, according to local reports.

Several buildings were destroyed, reportedly including an unnamed five-star hotel.

Fires have burned for two days on the holiday island off north-west Africa.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office urged British holidaymakers in Madeira to stay away from the affected areas and follow the advice of their tour operator and local civil protection authorities.

Wildfires have also affected the Portuguese mainland in recent days as temperatures climb above 35C.

Twelve major fires, most of them in the north-west of the country, were burning on Wednesday morning.

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