Portugal Issues Extreme Wildfire Alert for 120 Inland and Algarve Towns

Scorching temperatures, parched vegetation and gusty winds have pushed large swathes of Portugal into the most critical fire category this weekend. For anyone settling in the country—or just enjoying an August break—today’s alert is a reminder that the tranquillity of the countryside can change in minutes.

Why foreigners should pay attention

The interior highlands that lure many digital nomads with affordable stone farmhouses, and the Algarve hills that host prized holiday villas, are the same areas IPMA has flagged for “risco máximo”. A house purchase, a road trip or even a hiking plan can be up-ended by a fast-moving blaze. Insurance policies, visa renewals that require proof of residence and planned short-term rentals can all be affected when local authorities close roads or order evacuations.

Where the danger is highest today

According to the latest early-morning map from the national weather service, roughly 120 municipalities face the top-tier warning. In the south, flames tend to erupt in the serra behind the postcard beaches; in the north and centre, they start in eucalyptus or pine stands close to villages. The following concelhos are under the red banner right now:

• Lagos, Portimão, Monchique, Silves, Loulé, São Brás de Alportel and Tavira in the Algarve, where offshore breezes can sling sparks uphill.• Every município in the districts of Bragança and Guarda, plus most of Viseu, Vila Real and Castelo Branco. Pockets of extreme risk also dot Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Coimbra, Santarém and Portalegre.

If you see helicopters drawing water near your holiday home, assume ground access may soon be restricted.

What the authorities have activated

The civil-protection service, Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil (ANEPC), escalated its nationwide “situação de alerta” earlier this month and extended it through tonight. The decree bans burn-offs, machinery with metal blades, fireworks and most forest access. Rural police can fine anyone caught ignoring a closure, and insurers often refuse payouts when rules are flouted. ANEPC has also blasted more than 1 M text messages with the header AvisoPROCIV to phones roaming on Portuguese networks so tourists are not left in the dark.

Manpower and machines on standby

Under this summer’s fire plan, just over 11 000 firefighters, nearly 2 500 vehicles and 69 aircraft are positioned nationwide. Two EU-funded water bombers are based in Castelo Branco, a hot spot for eucalyptus-fuelled blazes. If conditions worsen, reservists can expand the roster to about 15 000 personnel and 3 400 trucks, while military drones guide GNR patrols over the driest ridges.

A season already breaking records

Even before today’s warnings, 139 000 ha had burned since January—well above the last decade’s 112 000 ha average for a full year. Paradoxically, ignition numbers are slightly lower than usual, suggesting fewer fires but larger, harder-to-contain fronts. That statistic feeds a growing debate in Lisbon over replanting native species and penalising arson more severely.

If you live or travel in an affected district

Keep a printed map in the car; GPS apps sometimes fail when cell towers lose power. Photograph crucial documents and upload them to encrypted cloud storage in case an evacuation order arrives. Confirm with your landlord or housing association that chimneys are screened and water tanks are full—simple measures that local authorities look for during inspections. Most important, obey roadblocks: fines can run beyond €2 000, and emergency crews will remember the licence plate that drove past the warning sign.

Looking ahead

Forecast models hint at a slight drop in temperatures mid-week, yet vegetation moisture remains critically low. The IPMA bulletin to be issued late tonight will determine whether the national alert stretches into Monday. For now, anyone planning a countryside barbecue or an off-road excursion would be wise to postpone. A summer in Portugal is still magical, but the Atlantic breeze is not always enough to cool the tinder underfoot.