RCB sends wildfire alert to five voivodeships as temperatures forecast to reach 42°C
The Government Centre for Security (RCB) has sent SMS warnings about high forest-fire risk to parts of five voivodeships. Almost the entire country is under medium or high fire danger according to the Forest Research Institute.
Poland's Government Centre for Security (RCB) activated its emergency alert system on Sunday, 28 June 2026, warning residents in selected counties of five voivodeships about a high risk of forest fires. The alert was sent to mobile phones in parts of Dolnośląskie, Mazowieckie, Lubuskie, Opolskie and Świętokrzyskie provinces.
Attention! High forest fire danger. Be careful and do not use open fire in the forest and its vicinity.
Where the danger is highest
The Forest Research Institute (IBL) published an updated risk map showing that the southern belt of the country faces the most acute conditions. Large patches of Lubuskie, Dolnośląskie, Mazowieckie and Opolskie were coloured dark red, together with the south of Lubelskie, the south of Podlaskie and the north of Podkarpacie. Virtually all remaining regions were placed in the medium-risk category.
Weather driving the danger
A third-degree heat warning issued by the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) remains in force for the affected areas. Daytime temperatures are forecast to reach up to 42°C, while nighttime lows may stay around 25°C. The prolonged dry spell and extreme heat cause forest litter to dry out quickly, dramatically increasing the chance that a stray spark could trigger a fast-spreading blaze.
What residents should know
Authorities remind people that open flames, campfires and barbecues are banned in forests and within 100 metres of their boundaries, except in designated areas. Discarding cigarette butts or leaving flammable waste is also dangerous. Foresters stress that even a tiny spark can turn into a serious fire under current conditions.
Broader picture
Although the RCB alert was not sent to the Lubelskie voivodeship, the south of that region also shows high risk on the IBL map. The warning system, introduced in 2018, is reserved for situations that pose a genuine threat to life and health. Messages are pushed immediately to all phones within a specified area, regardless of the user's mobile operator.
