More than 50 municipalities in eight districts are at maximum risk of fire due to the heat, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA), which has put the entire continent on orange alert.
More than 50 municipalities in the districts of Faro, Portalegre, Castelo Branco, Viseu, Santarém, Bragança, Vila Real and Guarda are at maximum risk of fire.
The highest maximum temperature expected for this Thursday will be reached in Castelo Branco with 40 degreesfollowed by Évora and Faro with 38, Beja and Bragança with 37 and Braga and Vila Real with 36.
The IPMA also places several municipalities in all districts of mainland Portugal at very high risk of fire. According to IPMA calculations, Fire danger will remain high in some districts at least until Monday.
Due to the heat, the IPMA has issued an orange warning for the districts of Bragança, Guarda, Faro and Castelo Branco until 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, changing to yellow until 6:00 p.m. on Friday.
The districts of Santarém and Braga are also under a yellow heat warning until 6pm on Thursday, and in Viseu, Évora, Vila Real, Beja and Portalegre it will be extended until 6pm on Friday.
The IPMA has also issued an orange warning for the mountainous regions of Madeira Island until 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, then changing to yellow until 6:00 p.m. on Friday.
The north and south coasts of Madeira and the island of Porto Santo are also under a yellow warning for heat until 6pm on Friday..
The IPMA issues an orange warning whenever there is a “moderate to high risk meteorological situation” and a yellow warning when there is a risk situation for certain activities depending on the meteorological situation.
The IPMA forecasts partly cloudy or clear skies on the continent on Thursday, with increased wind intensity, especially on the west coast and in the mountains, and lower temperatures, especially maximum temperatures on the west coast.
Toward Minimum temperatures will range between 17 degrees (in Coimbra and Aveiro) and 22 (in Castelo Branco and Faro) and maximum temperatures between 24 (in Aveiro) and 40 (in Castelo Branco)..
For the Madeira archipelago, clear or cloudy skies and light to moderate northerly/northeasterly winds are expected.
In Funchal temperatures will vary between 22 and 28 degrees and in Porto Santo between 21 and 26 degrees.
Source: Observadora
