The National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) issued “preventive measures” on Friday in response to tropical cyclone Gabrielle, which is expected to affect mainland Portugal on September 27 and 28, following its passage over the Azores archipelago early this morning.
“Given the meteorological instability brought by the cyclone, including strong winds and maritime agitation, combined with the hot and dry territory it will encounter, the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) urges the public to strictly adhere to rural fire prevention rules,” stated a press release sent to newsrooms.
In the release, the ANEPC emphasized that the “rural fire danger remains Very High and Maximum in the North, Center, and Algarve regions,” and it is expected that with the cyclone’s passage, there will be “favorable conditions for the occurrence and spread” of fires.
Furthermore, the cyclone’s passage may increase the “difficulty of suppression actions, especially in the North, Center, and Algarve regions.”
Therefore, the ANEPC reminded that, according to current legal provisions, on Very High and Maximum fire danger days, it is forbidden to:
- Conduct extensive burning;
- Burn piles;
- Use fire for cooking in all rural areas, except when used outside critical zones and in legally authorized places for this purpose;
- Fumigate or disinfect beehives, except when fumigators are equipped with spark retention devices;
- On Very High and Maximum fire danger days, it is also prohibited to use brush cutters, shredders, and sepulchers.
It is emphasized that the post-tropical storm Gabrielle, which left a trail of about 200 occurrences and 16 displaced individuals in the Azores, is moving away from the archipelago, and forecasts indicate worsening weather conditions on the mainland starting Saturday.
The post-tropical storm Gabrielle, which caused around 200 occurrences and displaced 16 individuals in the Azores, is moving away from the archipelago, with forecasts indicating deteriorating weather conditions on the mainland from Saturday.
Lusa | 17:25 – 26/09/2025
Authorities had predicted that storm Gabrielle would reach the Azores as a category 1 hurricane — on a maximum scale of 5 — but as it approached the islands, it downgraded to a post-tropical depression, still causing at least 196 occurrences and 16 displacements, reported the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Services (SRPCBA).
The most critical period occurred between 3:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. local time (plus one hour in Lisbon), mainly affecting Graciosa, Faial, and Terceira islands.
The islands of the Central Group (Pico, Faial, Graciosa, Terceira, and São Jorge) and the Western Group (Flores and Corvo) were under a red warning (the most severe on a scale of three) due to precipitation, wind, and maritime agitation, but have since started to deactivate municipal emergency plans.
