According to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), on Monday, 21 municipalities in Faro, Portalegre, Castelo Branco and Santarem pose the highest fire risk.
Municipalities of Lagos, Portimão, Silves, Loulé, San Bras de Alportel, Tavira (Faro), Portalegre, Marvão, Castelo de Vide, Nisa, Gavian (Portalegre), Vila Velha de Rodan, Vila de Rey, Proença a Nova (Castelo Branco), Macao, Sardoal, Abrantes, Tomar, Vila Nova da Barquinha, Constancia and Chamusca (Santarem) are at maximum risk of rural fires on Monday.
IPMA has also placed 23 municipalities in Faro, Beja, Lisbon, Santarem, Castelo Branco, Portalegre and Viseu in a very high fire risk group.
More than 100 municipalities in all areas of the mainland except Porto and Viana do Castelo are in very high fire danger this Monday.
Due to hot weather, the fire hazard will continue until at least Friday.
This risk, as defined by IPMA, has five levels, from reduced to maximum, and calculations are made based on air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and rainfall over the past 24 hours.
This Monday, IPMA predicts a slight decrease in the minimum temperature in the northern and central regions and a slight increase in temperature in the Algarve. Temperatures will range from 26 degrees Celsius in Aveiro to 41 degrees in Evora and Beja.
Since the beginning of the year, 3784 fires have already affected 8710 hectares of rural areas.