The Civil Protection warned today of the worsening weather condition in the coming days, due to the forecast of an increase in temperature, keeping the country on yellow alert for the risk of rural fires.
"The meteorological conditions that we are going to have in the next ones dictate that any small occurrence could become a major occurrence", said Secretary of State for Civil Protection, Patrícia Gaspar, in a 'briefing', at the headquarters of the National Authority for Emergency and Protection (ANEPC), in Carnaxide, in Oeiras.
Patrícia Gaspar said that there will be a change in the weather over the next few days with an increase in temperature and a reduction in humidity levels.
According to the national emergency and civil protection commander of ANEPC, André Fernandes, “a drier wind will be verified throughout the territory”, the humidity will be around 30% and “the maximum temperature will rise gradually, and may reach 40º in various areas of the country and 35th and 37th in the Lisbon region on Saturday and Sunday, respectively”.
Due to the increased risk of rural fires in the coming days, André Fernandes explained that it was decided to maintain the special state of alert at the yellow level for rural fires and the measures for operationalization in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region, with the reinforcement of two corps of firefighters, with an increase of 150 operators.
The ANEPC commander indicated that the operatives will be at strategic points, in Abrantes and Almeirim, in the district of Santarém.
According to André Fernandes, there will be a reinforcement of the available personnel of the GNR Civil Protection special force, with an increase in the state of readiness.
“The Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF) was asked for its teams, of sappers, brigades or special firefighter forces, to stop carrying out forestry actions and start to be dedicated to surveillance actions”, added.
ANEPC will also preposition firefighters across the country at strategic points already defined.
André Fernandes also added that the hot and dry weather could last until next Wednesday.
The Secretary of State for Civil Protection appealed to all Portuguese people to avoid the use of fire in forest and rural spaces and follow the hydration advice from the Directorate-General for Health.
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