Madonna and Ronaldo offer prayers for those killed in Portugal wildfires

The pop star, currently living in Lisbon, posted a photo of a burning forest on her Instagram alongside the message: “The fires in Portugal and Spain have raged once again wreaking havoc and taking many lives.

“Let us pray for the lives lost, for the wounded, for the sorrow of their families and finally for the devastation of Mother Nature.”

She showed her solidarity with those affected by the wildfires as the death toll rose to 36 following the death in hospital of a 48-year-old male burns victim.

Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who comes from Madeira, also posted a message on his Facebook page saying: “It’s impossible to remain indifferent to this tragedy.

“Solidarity with the relatives and friends of the victims. 

“Full support for firemen who risk their live to help in the best way possible.”

The dead include a one-month-old baby whose parents were also killed and a pregnant 19-year-old.

Fifteen of the 63 injured are said to be “serious”.

Rescue teams are still searching for several missing people. 

Rain has helped to put out most of the 523 fires which raged across north and central Portugal on Sunday, just four months after 64 people were killed in wildfires which started in the town of Pedrogao Grande near the university city of Coimbra.

A handful of fires were still being fought this morning in Spain’s north west region of Galicia bordering Portugal where four people were killed on Sunday.

They included two women OAP friends who died when a burning pine tree fell on top of their van.