About 50 municipalities in Faro, Bragança, Guarda, Vila Real, Viseu, Coimbra, Castelo Branco, and Portalegre are currently at maximum risk of rural fire, according to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).
The IPMA has also classified several municipalities in all districts of mainland Portugal as having a very high and high risk of fire.
According to the institute’s assessments, the fire risk is expected to remain high in some districts at least until the weekend.
This risk, as determined by the IPMA, is evaluated on a scale of five levels, ranging from reduced to maximum. The calculations are based on air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and the amount of precipitation in the last 24 hours.
Due to high temperatures, along with the possibility of showers, thunderstorms, and hail in the interior north, the IPMA has issued a yellow warning for seven districts today.
Beja, Bragança, Castelo Branco, Évora, Guarda, Portalegre, and Vila Real are under a yellow warning until 18:00 today due to “persistent high values of maximum temperature.”
In the case of Bragança, Guarda, and Vila Real, there is also a warning for “favorable conditions for showers and thunderstorms, which may include hail, accompanied by convective gusts of wind.”
The yellow warning, the least severe on a scale of three, is issued whenever there is a risk situation for certain activities dependent on the weather conditions.
