Portugal extends the measures against fires in the face of temperatures of 43 ° C

Portugal has extended the preventive measures against forest fires already in force since Sunday, due to the increased risk of high temperatures scheduled for the next few days on Wednesday on Wednesday, decided on Thursday the government. Faced with “unfavorable weather forecasts”, the executive has decided to maintain these measures, because they have so far made “a drop in the number of fire departures,” said Interior Minister Maria Lucia Amaral at a press conference after a Council of Ministers.

The exceptional prevention rules are intended in particular to prohibit access to forest areas, the realization of certain agricultural work or the use of fireworks. Between Saturday and Monday, maximum temperatures will “remain high” and will be able to reach 43 ° C in certain regions, said the National Meteorological Institute (IPMA). The Iberian Peninsula has been struck in recent days by the second heat wave of summer, which was accompanied by several forest fires.

In Portugal, more than 42,000 hectares have burned since the start of the year, according to provisional information from the Institute of Nature and Forests (ICNF). Experts consider that the multiplication of heat waves, which promote fires, is a consequence of climate change. The Portuguese government assured Thursday that the fire fighting system remains fully mobilized, with the deployment of hundreds of firefighters on the ground.

Two C-130 military planes will also be equipped to participate in fire-fighting operations. In the longer term, the government is committed to approving a plan for forests aimed at strengthening fire prevention, enhancing the forest economy or clarifying land ownership. He also studies the possibility of weighing down sentences linked to fire crimes in the forest.