Algarve on High Alert: Four Municipalities at Maximum Wildfire Risk

According to the IPMA, Tavira, São Brás de Alportel, Silves, and Monchique in the Algarve are today at maximum risk of wildfire.

More than 30 municipalities across the districts of Faro (including Tavira, São Brás de Alportel, Silves, and Monchique), Portalegre, Castelo Branco, Santarém, Leiria, Coimbra, Guarda, Viseu, and Bragança are under extreme wildfire danger, as reported by the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).

The IPMA has also placed several municipalities across all districts of mainland Portugal under very high and high wildfire risk.

IPMA calculations indicate that the fire danger will remain high in some districts at least until the weekend.

This risk, determined by the IPMA, has five levels, ranging from reduced to maximum. Calculations are based on air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and precipitation amounts over the last 24 hours.

Due to the hot weather, the IPMA has issued a yellow warning for 16 districts of mainland Portugal today, forecasting hot conditions.

The districts of Bragança and Vila Real are under an orange warning until 18:00 on Wednesday, downgrading to a yellow warning until 18:00 on Thursday.

Districts including Viseu, Porto, Faro, Setúbal, Santarém, Viana do Castelo, Lisbon, Leiria, Aveiro, Coimbra, and Braga will remain under a yellow warning until 18:00 on Wednesday, with Évora, Beja, Guarda, Castelo Branco, and Portalegre under the same warning until 18:00 on Thursday.

The yellow warning, the least severe on a three-level scale, is issued when there is a risk situation for certain activities dependent on meteorological conditions.

The IPMA forecasts continued hot weather for today on the mainland, with mostly clear or slightly cloudy skies, possible fog or mist on the south coast of the Algarve, generally light winds, and rising temperatures, especially the minimum.

Minimum temperatures will range between 16°C (in Aveiro) and 26°C (in Portalegre), with maximum temperatures between 29°C (in Aveiro) and 42°C (in Santarém).