Over 2,000 emergency personnel tackle wildfires still raging in Portugal

Portugal Deploys Largest-Ever Fire Response as Blazes Persist Across the Country

Poinews.com – Prime Minister Luís Montenegro addressed the nation on Tuesday following a briefing at Civil Protection headquarters, cautioning that Portugal still faces “weeks of heightened complexity” ahead. He characterized the current situation as placing the country “under high risk, which places a duty of care on everyone,” urging citizens to take every precaution available to limit the damage from ongoing blazes.

Montenegro labeled 2026 “another tough year” for forest fires yet insisted the scale of the operational response now in place is “the largest ever.” Government data indicate that the total area scorched so far this year represents a “very significant reduction” relative to 2025 — roughly “around four times” less. He also singled out Interior Minister Luís Neves, who has been the subject of public controversy, praising the official’s coordination work as “an absolutely extraordinary job” carried out with a “strong sense of responsibility.”

Scale of the Ground and Air Response

As of Tuesday, more than 2,000 emergency personnel and approximately 20 aircraft remained engaged across Portuguese territory, according to data posted on the Civil Protection website. Three incidents were still classified as significant by mid-afternoon, each demanding sustained firefighting effort.

Torre de Moncorvo: The Most Widespread Blaze

The fire consuming the most land is the one in Torre de Moncorvo, situated in Bragança — the country’s most northeastern district. It ignited on Saturday and had already devoured more than 2,000 hectares by Tuesday afternoon. At roughly 16:00, over 400 personnel were working on the ground, supported by more than 140 vehicles and four aircraft.

Portuguese broadcaster RTP reported that the blaze retained a single active front when the afternoon began. Local mayor José Meneses told the station that authorities expected to be able to:

“declare the fire under control” a few hours later and, consequently, “move into the mop-up phase”.

Arouca and Santo Tirso: Northern Fronts

A second major incident, in Arouca within the coastal Aveiro district, broke out on Monday night. By 16:00 on Tuesday, more than 300 firefighters, close to a hundred vehicles, and two aircraft were operating in the zone. SIC Notícias reported that the fire, moving through scrubland, still presented four active fronts earlier that morning. Civil Protection responded by implementing preventive safety measures in nearby communities to protect both property and residents.

A third operation in Santo Tirso, part of Porto’s Metropolitan Area, involved around 200 personnel backed by over 60 vehicles and one aircraft. That fire, which began late on Monday afternoon, had already consumed more than 900 hectares.

Weather Conditions Amplify the Threat

The fires are unfolding amid persistent hot, dry conditions across much of the country. The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere had placed nine districts under an orange alert valid until 18:00 on Tuesday, while the remainder of mainland Portugal — excluding Lisbon, Setúbal, and Faro — sat under a yellow alert.

A public notice from the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection warned of “maximum temperatures above 40°C in several regions of the country,” paired with low air humidity across “the generality” of the territory. Northern and central inland zones, where the highest temperatures were forecast, faced a very high to maximum rural-fire risk rating, prompting the authority to call for heightened preventive action.