Forest fires in the first eight months of the year in Portugal burned an area nine times the size of the city of Lisbon, according to forestry institute figures.

A preliminary report on forest fires released by the Institute for Conservation of Nature and Forests shows that between 1 January and 31 August this year 73,055 hectares of forest burned, up 81% from the 40,146 hectares that was destroyed in the same period of last year.

There were 16,168 forest fires recorded in the period, 1,218 more than in the first eight months of 2011.

One single giant blaze at Tavira, in the Algarve, which broke out on 18 July, ravaged 21,347 hectares of forest – some 29% of the total for all Portugal from January and August.

The institute’s report cites the fact that much of Portugal suffered from drought conditions from January through April as contributing to the increase in the number of outbreaks.

In August alone, there were 2,764 forest fires, in which 5,215 hectares burned.

There have been a number of major blazes so far in September.