The decision follows weather forecasts indicating a significant increase in wildfire danger and comes after the Integrated System of Civil Protection and Relief Operations (SIOPS) raised its special alert level. The forecast from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA) points to very high fire risk across much of the mainland.

The measure was approved by the Ministers of National Defence, Infrastructure and Housing, Internal Administration, Health, Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, Environment and Energy, Culture, Youth and Sport, and Agriculture and Sea.

Restrictions during the alert period

Under the state of alert, several exceptional measures will apply, including a ban on access to designated forest areas, forest roads and rural tracks identified in Municipal Plans for Forest Fire Defence.

Controlled burns, vegetation burning, fireworks, pyrotechnic devices and the launching of sky lanterns with lit wicks are also prohibited. Existing authorisations for these activities are suspended.

The use of machinery in forest areas is prohibited, except for equipment directly involved in firefighting. Restrictions also apply to the use of brush cutters, shredders and other machinery in rural areas.

Exemptions for essential activities

Some essential activities are exempt from the restrictions. These include feeding and watering livestock, irrigation, fertilisation, harvesting and transporting agricultural crops where there is no fire risk, manual cork extraction, honey harvesting without the use of heat-generating equipment, essential construction work with appropriate fire prevention measures, and agricultural harvesting and forestry operations carried out between sunset and 11:00 am, provided risk mitigation measures are in place and local civil protection authorities are notified.

Emergency services on heightened readiness

The declaration also raises the operational readiness of the National Republican Guard (GNR) and Public Security Police (PSP), with additional patrols, inspections and surveillance, including the suspension of leave and rest periods where necessary.

Emergency medical, public health and social support teams will increase their level of readiness, while forest firefighting teams and the National Corps of Forest Agents and Nature Wardens will remain permanently mobilised.

Communications and energy providers will reinforce their emergency response capacity, while the GNR will conduct aerial surveillance in high-risk districts using Armed Forces resources.

Volunteer firefighters employed in the public or private sectors will be entitled to justified absences from work while performing firefighting duties, with the exception of personnel serving in the Armed Forces, security forces, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), and emergency healthcare services.

Public information and coordination

ANEPC will issue public warnings on wildfire risk throughout the alert period, while the Armed Forces will provide aerial resources if required and subject to availability.

Under Portugal’s Basic Law on Civil Protection, the declaration also activates territorial coordination structures for civil protection operations, enables the assessment of emergency civil protection plans where necessary, and requires the media and mobile telecommunications operators to cooperate in disseminating official public information.