Firefighters in Spain and Portugal are battling wildfires ahead of an expected rise in temperatures that could worsen the situation on the Iberian Peninsula.

EL ARENAL, Spain/AROUCA, Portugal (Reuters) -Thousands of firefighters struggled to put out a dozen wildfires raging in northern Portugal and central Spain through the night and into Wednesday, in the largest wave of blazes in the Iberian Peninsula so far this year after weeks of summer heat.

Almost 2,700 firefighters battled Tuesday to contain forest blazes across Portugal that have led to almost the whole country being put on high alert for fires.Seventeen major fires blazed with the most serious in the centre and north of the country.