Helicopters assisting in efforts to battle wildfires in southern Portugal collected water from a pool before depositing it on the affected areas.

Footage filmed on August 5 near Monchique shows the two aircraft with specialised buckets attached collecting the water from a pool as smoke billows in the background.

More than 1,100 firefighters have been deployed to battle the blaze, which has been burning for four days.

At least 44 people have required medical assistance.