Portugal declares heat alert, bans machinery in agriculture and forests

The Portuguese government announced a heat alert lasting until Monday, citing forecast temperatures as high as 44 °C. Minister of Internal Administration Luís Neves, speaking after a meeting with the Integrated Prevention and Operations Command (CIPO) in Leiria, ordered emergency measures that prohibit access to designated forest areas, ban burning of agricultural residues, and bar the use of any machinery in agricultural or forest work except for fire‑fighting equipment. Fireworks, pyrotechnic devices and lantern balloons are also forbidden, and existing authorisations are suspended.

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro reinforced the need for the alert, urging citizens to follow the directives to protect communities and the environment. Red‑heat warnings cover ten districts in the south and coastal interior, including Santarém, Portalegre, Évora, Beja and Lisbon, with some areas moving to orange status later in the week. Health officials have advised local authorities to safeguard vulnerable populations, extend opening hours of cooling facilities and ensure access to potable water as the heat wave intensifies.