More than 40 municipalities in the counties of Faro, Coimbra, Castelo Branco, Guarda, Viseu and Bragança are at maximum risk of rural fires this Thursday, a day when some regions have favourable conditions for showers and thunderstorms.
According to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), several municipalities in all districts of mainland Portugal pose a very high fire risk.
The weather forecast for this Thursday across the continent calls for intermittently very cloudy weather on the west coast until mid-morning, and in the north and central parts of the country in the afternoon, where conditions are favourable for showers and thunderstorms.
The forecast also indicates light to moderate winds, fog or morning mist in places, a slight increase in minimum temperatures and a slight decrease in maximum temperatures in the central and southern regions.
Minimum temperatures will range from 14 degrees Celsius (in Viseu and Vila Real) to 19 (in Faro), and maximum temperatures from 24 (in Aveiro) to 32 (in Evora).
IPMA estimates that fire danger will remain in some areas until at least Monday.
This risk, defined by IPMA, has five levels, from low to maximum. Calculations are made on the basis of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and the amount of precipitation over the past 24 hours.