Portugal issues wildfire alert amid extreme heatwave
The Portuguese government issued a preventive alert on Saturday due to a very high risk of wildfires expected from Sunday onwards, as extreme heat grips the Iberian Peninsula in the coming days.
“This will be a difficult week,” stated Interior Minister Maria Lucia Amaral. Both Portugal and Spain have recently faced several forest fires, most of which are now under control. However, on Saturday, hundreds of firefighters remained deployed to tackle active fires across Portugal, according to Civil Protection authorities.
In an official statement, the government declared a nationwide alert from Sunday, August 3, through Thursday, August 7. The alert was prompted by worsening weather conditions and an increased risk of rural wildfires. The measures include a ban on lighting fires, using fireworks, and accessing certain forested areas.
According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), over 25,700 hectares have already burned in Portugal since the beginning of the year.
Across the border in northwestern Spain’s Galicia region, firefighters are battling flames near the town of Vilardevós.
Experts link the rise in wildfires to climate change, pointing to more frequent and intense heatwaves and droughts that contribute to increasingly dangerous fire seasons across the Iberian Peninsula.
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