Portugal places 50 municipalities under maximum fire danger warning

The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) has classified about 50 municipalities in the interior of the North, the Centre and the Faro district as being at maximum risk of rural fire. The affected municipalities belong to the districts of Bragança, Vila Real, Viseu, Guarda, Castelo Branco, Santarém, Portalegre and Faro.

In addition, approximately 140 municipalities across Viana do Castelo, Porto, Braga, Aveiro, Vila Real, Viseu, Coimbra, Leiria, Lisboa, Guarda, Castelo Branco, Santarém, Portalegre, Évora, Beja and Faro have been placed in the very high or high danger categories. The fire‑danger level is calculated from temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and rainfall over the previous 24 hours. IPMA forecasts mostly clear skies with periods of heavy cloud cover on the western coast and weak rain showers in the north and centre, while temperatures are expected to range from 14 °C (Guarda, Viseu) to 34 °C (Évora, Faro).