More than one hundred municipalities in the districts of Bragança, Vila Real, Braga, Porto, Aveiro, Viseu, Guarda, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Leiria, Santarém, Portalegre, and Faro are at very high risk of fire, according to the IPMA.

The entire Alentejo region and dozens of municipalities in the districts of Faro, Setúbal, Lisbon, Leiria, Santarém, Portalegre, Coimbra, Aveiro, Viseu, Porto, Braga, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, and Bragança are at high risk.

The rural fire risk, as determined by the IPMA, has five levels, ranging from reduced to maximum. The calculations are based on air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and precipitation over the previous 24 hours.

Ministry warnings

On 18 June, the Minister of Home Affairs requested that fire-risk behaviours be avoided due to the high temperatures predicted by the authorities.

According to the Minister, there are behaviours that should not be engaged in, such as the use of machinery like disc cutters and certain agricultural equipment, the carrying out of controlled burns, and the use of fireworks at traditional festivals, including lit wick balloons during the June festivities, which take place next week.