“The weather tells us that the coming days will be days of increased risks, and that is why we have to be extra careful”, said António Costa in a short video statement. Recalling that “televisions have shown terrible images of what has happened in other countries in recent weeks due to very high temperatures”, the prime minister stressed that no one wants to see this scenario “again” in Portugal. “For this reason, each one of us must strive to take every precaution to prevent fires from becoming a tragedy again in Portugal”, he stressed.

Costa also indicated that, in the last three years, there was a 50 percent reduction in the number of fires, as well as a 64 percent reduction in the burned area when compared to the previous decade. “This is a result that is due to the work of different civil protection agents, firefighters in particular but, above all, the result of the civic action of the Portuguese, in cleaning land and avoiding risky behaviour. This is a trend that we have to keep for everyone’s safety”, he said.

In this sense, and despite stating that, “in case of need”, one can “count on civil protection agents” and firefighters, António Costa reiterated the call for “everyone” to avoid “behaviours that may unintentionally trigger many fires”.

“Be careful. Take care of yourself, take care of others, take care of our forest, take care of our country”, said António Costa.

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) has indicated that the maximum temperature values ​​in mainland Portugal will rise until this weekend, when they should exceed 40 degrees in some inland regions. The IPMA expects the highest temperatures to be recorded in the northern and central interior, as well as in the interior of the Alentejo and in some parts of the Algarve. For the north and central coast, a rise in temperature is expected from 13 August.