Inland North, Center and Algarve at maximum risk of fire

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More than 80 municipalities in the interior of the North and Center and Algarve remain at maximum risk of rural fires this Monday, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).

According to the IPMA, more than 80 municipalities in the districts of Braga, Vila Real, Bragança, Guarda, Coimbra, Santarém, Castelo Branco, Portalegre and Faro are at maximum risk of fire.

The IPMA also placed several municipalities in Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Aveiro, Coimbra, Leiria, Portalegre, Castelo Branco, Santarém, Évora, Beja and Faro at very high risk.

The fire risk determined by the IPMA has five levels, ranging from low to high, with the latter being issued when weather conditions, such as extreme heat and low humidity, significantly increase the risk of fire ignition and spread.

Due to the hot weather, the IPMA placed the Faro district under a yellow warning, the least severe on a scale of three, until 6:00 pm this Monday.

Mainland Portugal has been affected by multiple rural fires since July, particularly in the North and Central regions, in a context of high temperatures that led to the declaration of a state of alert since August 2.

On Sunday, the Minister of Internal Administration, Maria Lúcia Amaral, announced that the alert situation due to the heightened risk of fire was extended until midnight on Tuesday.

The alert situation, which began on August 2, had already been renewed until midnight on Sunday, and is now in effect for another 48 hours.

The fires caused two deaths, including a firefighter, and several injuries, most of which were not serious, and totally or partially destroyed first and second homes, as well as agricultural and livestock farms and forest areas.

Portugal has activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism, under which two Fire Boss aircraft are expected to arrive on Monday to reinforce firefighting efforts.

According to provisional official data, as of August 18, 185,753 hectares had burned in the country, more than the area burned in the entire year of 2024.