At a press conference at ANEPC headquarters in Carnaxide (Oeiras), the national operations deputy reported that early this morning, the response level was raised from normal readiness to ‘level one’.
“Tonight, we will elevate to level 2 and conduct a reassessment tomorrow morning [Saturday], together with the IPMA [Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere] and other entities, to determine whether further escalation is needed, considering that this period of meteorological conditions associated with fire risk will persist at least until July 1,” warned Alexandre Penha.
The official stated that “resources are being deployed across the territory” and there is “an adjustment of resources based on the risk level in each area”.
The reinforcement of resources is attributed to a rise in temperature, decreased humidity, especially at night, and atmospheric instability expected from Saturday, “with potential for dry thunderstorms in the Algarve, Southern Interior, North, and Central regions, mostly linked to the country’s inland areas”.
The Directorate-General of Health (DGS) also issued a warning that extreme heat conditions, as forecasted for the coming days, pose health risks. They recommend staying hydrated, avoiding alcoholic beverages, and opting for cool or air-conditioned environments.
In a set of recommendations published on its website, the DGS highlights IPMA’s warnings, predicting a temperature increase from today, with highs potentially exceeding 40 degrees in some regions, urging citizens to stay cautious.
Due to the hot weather, 12 districts of mainland Portugal will be under an orange warning over the weekend, the second highest on a three-tier scale, issued by IPMA when “moderate to high meteorological risk” conditions occur.
The IPMA forecasts a gradual temperature increase of around 10 degrees Celsius, with weekend highs expected to exceed 40 degrees in some regions.
