Newborn baby among 39 killed by wildfires in Portugal and Spain

Credit: AP

A one-month-old baby is among at least 35 people killed by wildfires in Portugal, while at least four have perished in blazes in neighbouring Spain.

At least 56 others have been injured and a seven people are missing in the country's second such tragedy in four months, Portuguese officials said.

The fatalities occurred in densely forested parts of central and northern part of the country after blazes broke out in "exceptional" weather circumstances, a Civil Protection Agency spokeswoman said.

The situation was still "critical" because of unseasonably high temperatures.

But cooler, wetter weather is approaching, which may give some respite to firefighters tackling the blazes.

Portugal has been especially hard-hit by wildfires this year, including one that killed 64 people in June.

An independent investigation into those fires found last week that authorities failed to evacuate villages on time.

Across the border in Spain, 105 fires have been reported in Galicia, where thousands of people have been evacuated.

Credit: AP

Spain's prime minister Mariono Rajoy has blamed arsonists, and has urged police to find them.

Regional president Alberto Nunez Feijoo said "Galicia is fed up" with being attacked by arsonists who make the most of weather conditions, adding that some are targeting urban areas.

He added that 90% of forest fires each year in Galicia are intentional.