Around 50 municipalities in Portugal at maximum wildfire risk

Around 50 municipalities across Portugal are at maximum wildfire risk today (June 24), according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA).

The highest level of risk applies to municipalities in the districts of Bragança, Vila Real, Guarda, Viseu, Castelo Branco, Santarém and Portalegre.

Dozens of other municipalities in the north, centre and Algarve are classified as being at very high risk, including areas in the districts of Faro, Braga, Porto, Coimbra, Leiria and Castelo Branco.

Several municipalities across mainland Portugal are also under a high wildfire risk warning.

The latest assessment comes after firefighters spent much of Tuesday and overnight battling a large wildfire in the Ameixial area of Loulé, which was finally brought under control at around 4am on Wednesday following a major operation involving hundreds of firefighters and aerial resources.

According to IPMA, fire danger is expected to ease from Thursday onwards, with much of the country forecast to return to low-risk conditions.

The institute calculates wildfire risk using factors including air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and rainfall recorded over the previous 24 hours.

Despite the expected improvement, hot weather continues to affect parts of the country. The districts of Bragança, Guarda and Vila Real remain under a yellow weather warning until 6pm due to high temperatures.

Meanwhile, Porto, Braga, Viana do Castelo and Vila Real are under a yellow warning from 9pm on Wednesday until 3am on Thursday because of forecasts for thunderstorms, heavy showers and strong convective winds.

IPMA forecasts generally cloudy skies across mainland Portugal, with showers developing during the afternoon that could be locally heavy and accompanied by thunderstorms and hail.

Maximum temperatures are expected to range from 22°C in Viana do Castelo to 35°C in Évora, while minimum temperatures will vary between 16°C in Setúbal and 21°C in Castelo Branco.

Michael Bruxo

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.