Portugal is under several heat and wildfire risk warnings due to high temperatures
As temperatures are set to soar past 40°C, more than 30 boroughs across mainland Portugal have been placed under maximum wildfire risk, according to the national meteorological institute (IPMA).
Municipalities facing the highest alert levels include Faro, Portalegre, Castelo Branco, Santarém, Leiria, Coimbra, Guarda, Viseu, and Bragança. In addition, every district of the mainland has at least some areas now under either very high or high fire risk.
The dire situation is not expected to let up soon, with IPMA predicting the fire risk will remain high in some areas until at least the end of the week.
Portugal’s fire risk index, which runs from low to maximum, is calculated based on a mix of air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and rainfall in the last 24 hours.
Warnings have also been sounded over the sweltering heat, with 16 mainland boroughs placed under yellow weather warnings today due to the ongoing heat. Meanwhile, Bragança and Vila Real are under a more serious orange warning until Wednesday evening, after which they return to yellow status until Thursday evening.
The yellow warning – though the least severe on a three-tier scale – still signals potential disruption to heat-sensitive activities. Districts under yellow alerts include major urban and coastal areas such as Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Coimbra, Setúbal, and Braga, as well as inland areas like Évora, Beja, Guarda, and Castelo Branco.
Forecasts for today show clear or partly cloudy skies across most of the country, with light winds and rising minimum nighttime temperatures, adding little relief from the heat. Morning fog or mist is possible along the southern Algarve coast.
According to IPMA, minimum temperatures will range between 16°C (in Aveiro) and 26°C (in Portalegre) and maximum temperatures between 29°C (in Aveiro) and 42°C (in Santarém).
