It is on alert due to the increased risk of more wildfires until tomorrow, Tuesday. Portugalwhich is still struggling with fire fronts, amid high temperatures.

Nearly 1,800 firefighters fought to put out the blaze in Portugal this morning, according to the Civil Protection Service.

The largest fire is raging in the Vila Real region in northern Portugal, spreading in a remote mountainous area.

Greece responded to Portugal’s request through the European Civil Protection Mechanism and is providing assistance with two Canadair aircraft.

With two planes 🛩️🛩️ Canadair CL-415 Greece helps Portugal, which is experiencing forest fires🔥

Immediate 🇬🇷 response to 🇵🇹 request through 🇪🇺 Civil Protection Mechanism 🤝🏻 in practice #solidarity

🔗 https://t.co/2xwip94X8W@EmbaixadaPt_Gr @eu_echo pic.twitter.com/jHmrpDes89

— Civil Protection GR (@GSCP_GR) August 22, 2022

The high alert announced by the government yesterday, Sunday, basically restricts access to the forests and prohibits the use of machinery or fireworks to prevent forest fires.

It also aims to strengthen the levels of mobilization of the rescue services and their powers.

For today and tomorrow, Tuesday, the Portuguese Meteorological Institute (IPMA) predicts temperatures of around 40 degrees Celsius in the interior of the country.

Portugal, which is experiencing an exceptional drought this year, has already recorded its hottest July in almost a century.

Almost 940,000 hectares have burned down in the country since the beginning of the year. These are the largest burned areas since the deadly fires of 2017 that killed 100 people, according to the latest count from the Institute for Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF).

The wildfire alone in the Serra da Estrella National Forest, a mountainous protected area in central Portugal, destroyed more than 250,000 hectares of vegetation in recent weeks before it was declared under control on Wednesday.

^{According to APE-MPE, AFP}