More than 100 wildfires are stretching thousands of firefighters to the limit in northern Portugal

LISBON, Portugal -- More than 100 wildfires stretched thousands of firefighters to the limit in northern Portugal on Wednesday, with seven deaths since the worst spate of fires in recent years spread out of control over the weekend.

Several fires broke out across Portugal over the weekend, forcing residents to flee and motorways to shut.

People try to save homes set ablaze bywildfires in central and northern Portugal:::: Albergaria-a-Velha, PortugalThe Iberian country has asked the EU to send more fire-fighting planes as firefighters are still battling at least 15 blazes including one that burned houses on the outskirts of Albergaria-a-Velha.

Portugal asked the EU to send it more fire-fighting planes on Monday as at least 15 blazes raged in central and northern regions, including one that burned houses on the outskirts of the town of Albergaria-a-Velha.

Thousands of firefighters continued their efforts to extinguish over 100 wildfires in northern Portugal on Wednesday.

Emergency services have reported 90 active incidents in mainland Portugal, with 17 fires currently raging and 60 approaching their end stages.

Firefighters tackling deadly wildfires in central and northern Portugal had doused the flames in the Aveiro district, one of the worst-hit, as of Thursday, and were focusing on eight large blazes still raging elsewhere.

Civil protection authorities listed 42 active fires on its website on Wednesday and said they had mobilized around 3,900 firefighters and over 1,000 vehicles

STORY: Deadly wildfires ravaging Portugal have pushed emergency services to the limit. Desperately-needed reinforcements will arrive from Spain and Morocco on Wednesday (September 18), the civil protection authority said.