Lisbon, Portugal –
As the drought-stricken country prepares to pack up to 43 degrees Celsius (109 degrees Fahrenheit), the Portuguese government issued an eight-day warning on Friday.
A joint statement from five government departments stated that “severe wildfires are intensifying by July 15.”
Declaring a state of warning gives the government the power to order temporary precautionary measures. Friday’s sanctions include a ban on access to endangered forests, the use of fireworks and a ban on fireworks, which are widely used during the summer holidays.
Portugal has long suffered from a devastating forest fire. A.D. In 2017, fires killed more than 100 people.
Temperatures and droughts are not uncommon in Portugal, but climate scientists say they expect all of southern Europe’s high temperatures and low rainfall due to global warming.
The European Commission (EC), part of the European Union’s executive body, said the continent was one of the most difficult years for natural disasters, such as droughts and fires.
He predicts that temperatures will rise to about 45 degrees Fahrenheit (107 degrees Fahrenheit) over the weekend in the Spanish border region of Spain.
In June, rainfall in Spain was about half of the 30-year average, with government data showing that the country’s reservoirs have an average capacity of 45%.
Italy is facing a long-term heat wave, the worst drought in 70 years.
In Portugal, 96% of the country is in a “severe” or “severe” drought at the end of June – the two highest categories are classified.
During the Portuguese emergency period, police and forest rangers are on regular patrol.
The Portuguese government says Portugal will have about 13,000 firefighters and related personnel, more than 2,800 vehicles and 60 firefighting aircraft during the fires from July to September.
After the death of 2017 shocked the country, Portugal improved its forest management and other strategies. No one has died in the fires since. Last year, the country recorded the lowest wildfire since 2011.
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