More than 110 municipalities in the interior North and Center of the country and the Algarve region are at maximum risk of fire today, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).
All municipalities in the district of Bragança and the majority in Vila Real, Guarda, Viseu, and Castelo Branco are at maximum fire risk.
Dozens of other municipalities in the districts of Braga, Porto, Coimbra, Leiria, Santarém, Castelo Branco, Beja, and Faro are also at maximum risk.
About 70 municipalities in the districts of Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Vila Real, Aveiro, Coimbra, Leiria, Lisbon, Portalegre, Castelo Branco, Beja, and Faro are at very high risk.
The IPMA placed almost the entire Alentejo region and around 30 other municipalities in the districts of Faro, Setúbal, Lisbon, Santarém, Leiria, Coimbra, Aveiro, Porto, Braga, and Viana do Castelo at high risk.
About 30 municipalities, almost all on the coast of the country, in the districts of Setúbal, Lisbon, Leiria, Coimbra, Aveiro, Porto, and Braga are at moderate risk.
The fire risk determined by the IPMA has five levels, ranging from reduced to maximum, with the latter being issued when meteorological conditions, such as extreme heat and low humidity, significantly increase the danger of ignition and propagation of fires.
The government has extended the alert situation until the end of Friday due to weather forecasts indicating rising temperatures and an increased risk of rural fires.
The alert situation is justified by two main reasons: the continuation of high temperatures across the country for the coming days and the reduction in ignitions due to imposed prohibitions.
The IPMA forecasts continued hot weather today, although with a slight drop in temperature, which will be more pronounced on the North and Center coasts.
Minimum temperatures will range between 16º Celsius in Viana do Castelo and 27º in Portalegre, while maximums will range from 24º in Aveiro to 42º in Évora.
