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Portugal is preparing for a heat wave with temperatures of up to 43 degrees this weekend. At the same time, the severe drought retains its grip on the country.
The country’s crisis authority has put personnel on standby due to the risk of forest and terrain fires. The risk of forest fires is high in around a third of Portugal.
According to the weather forecast, the extreme heat will stay at least a week. The weather institute IPMA states that so-called tropical nights, with a night temperature of at least 20 degrees, are to be expected.
As of Friday, the government has decided on an emergency regarding the fire risk. The measure entails increased powers for the authorities, such as a ban on fuses and fireworks or the possibility of ordering machines to make firebreaks.
A large part of the country is already suffering from a severe drought. At the end of June, 96 percent of the country was judged to suffer from extreme or severe drought – the two highest categories.
The amount of rain that has fallen since the torrential rain in October last year is the second lowest since 1931, when the measurements began.
Heat waves and droughts are not uncommon in Portugal. But climate scientists estimate that the whole of southern Europe can expect higher temperatures and less rain in the future as a result of global warming.