The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) has issued a very high fire risk alert for several municipalities in Vila Real, Viseu, Bragança, Guarda, Castelo Branco, Santarém, Portalegre, Beja, and Faro.
The institute’s calculations indicate that the rural fire risk will begin to increase throughout the week and likely continue into the weekend.
IPMA forecasts a rise in temperatures starting Thursday.
The IPMA defines the fire risk with five levels, ranging from reduced to maximum, based on air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and rainfall in the past 24 hours.
A temperature rise is expected from Thursday, potentially exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in some regions of mainland Portugal, particularly in the interior.
“There is a tendency for the anticyclone located in the Azores region to intensify and extend towards Central Europe from the 24th, resulting in an easterly flow and, consequently, transporting a hot and dry air mass over the Iberian Peninsula and the Madeira archipelago,” explained IPMA in a statement released on Sunday.
Therefore, after days with temperatures close to or slightly below the season’s norm on the continent, which will continue at the start of this week, a significant rise in air temperature is expected by the end of the week, stated IPMA.
The maximum temperature values will exceed 30°C in most of the mainland territory, with some regions, particularly in the interior, expected to surpass 40°C.
In the Madeira archipelago, maximum temperatures “could approach or even exceed 30°C, especially on the southern slopes and mountainous regions,” it added.
