Portugal braces for surge in wildfire danger as temperatures climb
Parts of Portugal’s Centre and Algarve regions are under maximum fire alert today (June 27), with authorities warning that the risk will only increase over the weekend as a major heatwave pushes temperatures above 40ºC in some areas.
According to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), the municipalities of Proença-a-Nova (Castelo Branco) and Loulé, São Brás de Alportel, and Tavira (Algarve) are currently facing the highest fire danger level.
But this is just the beginning: by Saturday, around 40 municipalities across the interior Centre and Algarve are expected to reach maximum risk levels, with the situation worsening further by Sunday and spreading to parts of the North.
Today, more than 80 municipalities in the interior North, Centre, and Algarve are already at very high risk, and nearly 90 others – in districts including Faro, Beja, Évora, Setúbal, and Porto – are facing increased fire danger.
The worsening outlook is tied to a forecasted temperature jump of up to 10 degrees, with many areas likely to see daytime highs exceed 40ºC, especially in the Alentejo.
To assess fire risk from low to maximum, IPMA uses a five-level scale based on factors such as temperature, humidity, windspeed and recent rainfall.
For today, IPMA is predicting mostly clear skies across the mainland, with some morning cloud in the North and Centre. Temperatures are on the rise: minimums range from 15ºC in Braga and Viana do Castelo to 25ºC in Faro, while maximums go from 25ºC in Viana do Castelo to 40ºC in Évora.
Due to the intense heat, 12 districts will be under orange alert this weekend, the second-highest warning level used by IPMA when there’s a moderate to high meteorological risk.
