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Portugal has asked Morocco, Spain and the European Union to place additional firefighting aircraft on standby as the country braces for a heightened wildfire risk amid an ongoing heatwave, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced on Friday.
Montenegro said the request was made through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and bilateral agreements with Morocco and Spain. He stressed that it does not reflect a shortage of national resources, but rather the «exceptional situation» expected in the coming days, with the entire country facing a very high risk of wildfires.
Mainland Portugal remains under a state of alert, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in some districts. Authorities have restricted access to certain forest areas, banned forestry work involving machinery and prohibited controlled agricultural burns.
This is not the first time Portugal has turned to Morocco for firefighting assistance. In 2025, Rabat deployed two Canadair aircraft after Portugal's own fleet was grounded due to damage, replacing the aircraft while they underwent repairs.
In 2024, Morocco sent four heavy water-bombing aircraft after deadly wildfires swept through central and northern Portugal.
