Portugal puts 40 municipalities on maximum fire alert as temperatures climb to 38C
Portuguese authorities have placed roughly 40 municipalities on maximum rural fire alert as an Azorean anticyclone brings dry air and temperatures up to 38 degrees Celsius.
High temperatures and escalating fire danger
Portuguese authorities placed approximately 40 municipalities in the Central region and the Algarve on maximum rural fire alert on Saturday, 19 September 2026. The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) warned that high temperatures and low relative humidity create favorable conditions for the occurrence and rapid propagation of rural fires. The maximum risk tier applies to southern municipalities including Loulé, Tavira, and São Brás de Alportel in the Algarve, alongside more than 30 municipalities across the districts of Guarda, Castelo Branco, Portalegre, Coimbra, Leiria, and Santarém. More than 100 municipalities across northern and central inland areas, the Lisbon metropolitan area, and large portions of Alentejo and the Algarve face very high fire danger. High risk conditions also affect dozens of additional municipalities across twelve mainland districts, including Vila Real, Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Viseu, Aveiro, Beja, and Faro.
Meteorological drivers and regional alerts
The weather pattern is driven by an anticyclone located north of the Azores that extends in a ridge toward the Bay of Biscay. This atmospheric system transports a hot, dry continental air mass over the Iberian Peninsula, generating a gradual rise in temperatures across Portugal. Forecasts indicate maximum temperatures reaching 38 degrees Celsius in the Alentejo and the Tagus Valley (Vale do Tejo), while coastal stretches in the North and Centre are expected to record highs between 35 and 38 degrees Celsius. Minimum temperatures will remain above 20 degrees Celsius overnight in parts of Alto Alentejo, Beira Baixa, the Tagus Valley, and eastern Algarve. On Saturday, IPMA placed the districts of Coimbra, Leiria, and Lisbon under yellow weather warnings, with warnings scheduled to expand on Sunday to Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Aveiro, Santarém, and Setúbal. Strong winds are also forecast in the highlands of the Central region. IPMA calculates its five-level rural fire hazard index using air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and cumulative rainfall from the preceding 24 hours, projecting very high danger to persist in several regions through the end of next week.
- ANEPC issues nationwide fire safety warnings and emergency crews bring the Albergaria-Aveiro fire under control
- Roughly 40 municipalities enter maximum fire danger as high temperatures reach 38 degrees Celsius
- Heat warnings expand across western and northern Portugal under a continental air mass
Restrictions and civil protection measures
In response to the heightened risk, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) reinforced mandatory prevention rules under Portuguese law for all days classified as very high or maximum fire danger. The regulations prohibit extensive burning, the burning of agricultural debris piles, and the use of open fire for outdoor food preparation outside authorized designated spaces. Farm and forestry work faces specific operational limits, including bans on brushcutters, shredders, and motorized clearing equipment, alongside restrictions against using disc harrows. In addition, beekeepers cannot conduct fumigation or disinfection activities in apiaries unless their equipment features spark-retention mechanisms.
ANEPC recommends adjusting behaviors and attitudes in light of the rural fire danger situation, through the adoption of necessary prevention and precaution measures, in accordance with the legislation in force.
Containment of the Albergaria-Aveiro blaze
The elevated alert follows an operational response on Friday, 18 September 2026, when emergency services contained a wildfire between Albergaria-a-Velha and Aveiro. The blaze prompted a temporary shutdown of the A1 motorway and generated extensive traffic queues, though authorities confirmed no residential destruction or civilian casualties occurred. Firefighting operations mobilized more than 300 emergency personnel and 11 aircraft at peak intensity, with more than 150 personnel remaining deployed on the ground early Saturday morning to monitor hotspots. Sub-regional Commander António Ribeiro cited gusty winds and inadequate management of local eucalyptus stands as factors that complicated containment efforts during the incident.
