Red alert for extreme temperatures and fire risks in 13 districts of Portugal
September is very warm cin Portugal ! Indeed, the National Authority for Civil Protection and Emergency Situations (ANEPC) today launched a red alert in 13 districts in the center and north of the country, because of the high temperatures expected for the next days and the increased risk of fires. The red alert, the highest, will be effective between 00:00 Wednesday and 23:59 Sunday, announced the national commander of the ANEPC, Duarte Costa, at a press conference in Lisbon. Which are the 13 districts with red alert ? Lisbob, expats assistant in Portugal, tells you everything about this.
Red warning for extreme temperature and fire risks in 13 districts in Portugal
Extreme temperatures and fire risk
The 13 districts covered by the red alert are: Aveiro, Braga, Bragança, Castelo Branco, Santarém, Coimbra, Guarda, Portalegre, Porto, Vila Real, Viana do Castelo, Viseu and Leiria. ANEPC also decided to set up the orange alert, the second highest on the scale, for the districts of Beja and Faro. Finally, the districts of Lisbon, Évora and Setúbal go from yellow to orange between Wednesday and Sunday as well.
The president of ANEPC, Mourato Nunes, emphasized that it was important for everyone to be aware of the risk of forest fire because of these extreme temperatures. "It takes a lot of discipline to avoid unnecessary fires," he said, assuring that the firefighting system was set up for quick and effective response, while recognizing the presence of unmeasurable and uncontrollable fires.
11,000 fire fighters engaged; 40 degrees expected
The device envisioned and impressive and includes 11,492 agents in the field, supported by 60 air assets. A reconnaissance helicopter is also available. The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA) has warned that future temperatures will reach very high temperatures, up to 40 degrees in the southern regions and the Tagus Valley and exceeding 30 degrees on the rest of the territory.
The nights will be very hot in Lisbon and in the Tagus Valley, never falling below 20 degrees with relatively low humidity, especially on the coast, which is not usual. Strong winds are also expected, especially in the mountainous regions and in the center and north of the country.
Red alert for fire risk in Portugal ©impa.pt
A preventive SMS will be sent to all Portuguese numbers from Wednesday, inviting everyone to adopt the preventive measures in force, warning that it is forbidden to burn, to use fires, to smoke in the forest, among others risky behavior. Common sense somehow.