Wildfires in Fornos de Algodres dominated as over 60 Portuguese municipalities face maximum fire danger

Fire breaks out in Fornos de Algodres

A rural fire erupted in the locality of Vila Ruiva, in the municipality of Fornos de Algodres (Guarda district), on Friday afternoon, 7 August 2026. The alert was issued at 13:40, according to the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC). Flames progressed through brushland in the Union of Parishes of Juncais, Vila Ruiva and Vila Soeiro do Chão, advancing toward the neighbouring municipality of Celorico da Beira. The fire headed in the direction of four localities, including the vicinities of Carrapixana and Mugadouro in the parish of Mesquitela, but no homes were directly threatened and no injuries were reported.

The mayor of Fornos de Algodres described the combat conditions to Lusa:

The fire broke out in the locality of Vila Ruiva, in the municipality of Fornos de Algodres, and the combat is being difficult. The flames are progressing toward the municipality of Celorico da Beira.

Peak mobilisation and tactical response

At its height, the Vila Ruiva fire mobilised 354 operatives, 77 vehicles and 15 aerial means, according to Civil Protection data. SIC Notícias reported slightly lower figures of over 300 operatives, 75 vehicles and 14 aerial means. By 16:50, 13 aerial means and 301 operatives were engaged, with the fire front moving toward Celorico da Beira. Ground crews used tactical fire as a primary combat manoeuvre, a technique that proved decisive in halting the flames' advance. The burned area consisted mainly of brush and fine fuels such as straw, on terrain with relatively easy access. The fire was declared resolved in approximately five hours, by 17:20, with 285 operatives, 77 vehicles and four aerial means remaining for consolidation, cleanup and surveillance.

Second fire in Cortiçô

Some resources from the Vila Ruiva operation were redirected to a second fire, also in Fornos de Algodres, in the locality of Cortiçô. The alert for this fire, in the Union of Parishes of Cortiçô and Vila Chã north of Vila Ruiva, was given at 16:53. By 18:20, it was being fought by six aerial means, 84 operatives and 21 vehicles. The Cortiçô fire entered its resolution phase near 3:00 on Saturday morning.

Saturday: fires dominated, maximum danger persists

By Saturday, 8 August, both fires in Fornos de Algodres were dominated. Cleanup operations continued with one aerial mean, over 300 operatives and 80 vehicles at one site, while 95 operatives, 30 vehicles and one aerial mean remained at Vila Ruiva. No roads remained closed.

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) placed more than 60 municipalities in the interior North and Centre and the Algarve under maximum fire danger for Saturday. Districts affected include Vila Real, Bragança, Viseu, Guarda, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Santarém, Portalegre and Faro. Nearly all other municipalities were under "very high" or "high" danger, except some coastal areas of Braga, Porto, Aveiro, Leiria, Lisbon and Setúbal districts. Temperatures on Saturday were forecast to reach 38 degrees in Évora and Beja, 35 in Faro, 33 in Lisbon and 26 in Porto, with some areas approaching 40 degrees.