Fire danger is at high levels in Portugal: Meteorological risk should not be confused with active fires

In the meteorological fire danger assessments published on the morning of October 18 in Portugal, high risk levels were raised for some municipalities. The fire danger classification used by authorities indicates the extent to which current weather conditions may facilitate the start and spread of a fire.

How is fire danger determined?

Temperature, humidity, wind and other meteorological conditions are taken into account in IPMA's daily evaluations.

These evaluations may yield different results on a municipal basis.

This is why it is possible for a rain warning to be issued in one region on the same day, while there is a high fire danger in another region.

High risk does not mean active fire

High or very high classifications on the fire danger map do not necessarily indicate that there is an ongoing fire in the relevant area.

The location of active fires, intervention teams and the status of the incident are monitored from separate sources.

Mixing these two types of data can lead to both unnecessary anxiety and misunderstanding of actual events.

Be careful in outdoor activities

Those in forested and rural areas should check current restrictions on the use of fire and other risky activities.

Do not rely solely on the general weather forecast as local fire danger levels may not be the same as current prohibitions.

for October 18 It is important to check the risk levels announced on a municipal basis from IPMA's current map.