Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 2nd July 2025
Good morning. The weather has no doubt been in most minds particularly the effects of the high temperatures. Southern Europe experienced a persistent heatwave on Monday, which reached an unprecedented geographic extent in France and extended from the Balkans to England. This has led to rural fires including Portugal where there were serious and numerous fires recorded, 323 from June 28th-30th; several of which were classified as significant occurrences. At one stage on 30th June over one thousand operatives were fighting some 34 fires.
In addition to hail falling in some places in Portugal, the heat on Sunday led to the formation of a rare phenomenon of “roll clouds”, which accumulated in certain stretches of the coast. Images shared on social media show a huge horizontal cloud moving from the sea horizon towards the beaches.
Inland, the thermometer reached 46.6°C in Mora , Évora district, a value close to the absolute maximum in the country, on August 1, 2003, then 47.3 degrees in Amareleja (Beja), according t Due to the heat wave, IPMA placed seven districts on red alert , between Sunday and Tuesday. Records have been broken since the start of this extreme heat wave. Record maximum and minimum temperatures were also recorded for the month of June at several stations in Spain, according to the meteorological agency Aemet.
With an average of 26.01°C (degrees Celsius), according to data from the European Copernicus program recorded on Sunday and analysed by Météo-France, the Mediterranean Sea had never recorded such a high surface temperature. IPMA have forecast for 1st July sea temperatures of 21 – 24C off the south coast of Portugal.
Heatwaves are becoming more intense, starting earlier and occurring later in the summer due to climate change. I have prepared a feature on this topic and its relationship to rural fires which will appear in the Portugal Resident tomorrow 3rdJuly.
It is important during extreme weather, in this case very high temperatures, to follow the safety advice being issued by the authorities as well as that issued by Safe Communities. Over the last week therefore we have issued advice on: disposable BBQs; parking on dry grass; rip currents; safety on beaches; drowning prevention; beach flags; use of motorized gardening equipment; UV; safety when hiking and camping; burning cut and piled waste and fire prevention, etc, etc. We ask people to study and share this important information. Thank you.
DELTA Level of the Special Rural Fire Fighting Device (#DECIR) starts today extending until 30th September. Under this the following total resources are available 11,161 operatives, with the possibility of mobilizing 3,863 more, totalling up to 15.024; 2,417 vehicles from various civil protection agents, with the potential mobilization of more 994, making a total of 3,411; 71 aircraft. Of course it would be far better not to have to deploy these resources and this can best be done by exercising due care and attention to avoid any activity which may increase the risk of fires.
Late Saturday afternoon, another car caught fire while driving in the Cancela area and was completely burned. As reported by DIÁRIO, the same thing happened to a taxi van at the beginning of the month, on Rua Martha Telles Pintora, in the parish of São Martinho, which caused a great deal of commotion. Another was on the A22 last weekend and today 30th June on the A2 a car on fire near Grandola service area and in São Brás de Alportel a car on fire on the E.N. 270. However, these are not isolated cases and have occurred with some frequency.
Therefore, it is essential to know how to act quickly and safely in the event of a fire, as a fire in a vehicle can start suddenly and become uncontrollable within a few minutes. Firstly Stay calm and get out of the vehicle. In the event of a fire while the vehicle is moving, turn off the engine and stop immediately, without putting other road users at risk; If possible, stop the vehicle in a place with clean ground, free of dry leaves, paper, oil or other easily combustible materials; Turn your wheels to prevent the car from rolling away, apply your handbrake; Get everyone away from the vehicle and stay well away. Once all passengers are safely out of the vehicle, call 112; Make yourself as visible as possible. Use hi-vis clothing and wave your arms to warn oncoming traffic; Do not attempt to put out the fire unless you have the means to do so, namely if you have a fire extinguisher and never use water on an engine fire,
Our team wishes you a good day
News
State spending on diabetes medication doubles, minister wants new clinical guidelines
In 2024, public spending on diabetes medication exceeded 417 million euros. In addition to the increase in the disease in Portugal, the use of this type of medication for weight loss also comes into play.
Regardless of this growth, which is atypical, we must ensure that diabetic patients receive the treatment they need,” said the Minister of Health. “What is missing here are clinical guidance standards.”
Paula Martins says that a committee will be created to work on these standards, which aim to guarantee fair access to medicine. “Above all, to avoid inappropriate use of resources,” she stressed.
In the case of diabetes , and not taking into account costs with insulin , but , for example, with the substance semaglutide – present in the drugs Ozempic and Rybelsus – , Infarmed ‘s figures show that the expense rose from 7.5 million in 2021 to 40 million last year .
“I am convinced that increasing the co-payment will allow us to negotiate with the pharmaceutical industry to find a cheaper price”, says José Boavida, from the Portuguese Association for the Protection of Diabetics.
If prescribed to people without type 2 diabetes, Ozempic costs 120 euros. With co-payment, the cost is 12 euros. The drugs are also used for weight loss and have already led to stock-outs in pharmacies.
At the beginning of this year, and after a shortage in the market, Infarmed announced an audit process on medicines for diabetics, but there are still no conclusions.
Iranian hackers threaten to release 100GB of emails from close Trump aides
A group of hackers with links to Iran has threatened to release about 100 gigabytes of emails allegedly stolen from figures close to US President Donald Trump. Those targeted include White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and long time adviser Roger Stone, according to Reuters, which had access to direct communications with the cybercriminals, who operate under the pseudonym “Robert”.
According to the hackers themselves, the material obtained also includes emails associated with Lindsey Halligan, Trump’s lawyer, and actress Stormy Daniels, known for having signed a confidentiality agreement in exchange for $130,000 to not mention an alleged relationship with Trump. Although the hackers have not revealed when they plan to release the content, they say the material exists and could be released soon.
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) called the attack a hostile propaganda attempt by a foreign power. “A hostile foreign adversary is threatening to exploit stolen and unverified material in an attempt to distract, discredit, and divide,” CISA spokeswoman Marci McCarthy said. She denounced the attack as part of a “calculated smear campaign” against President Trump.
FBI Director Kash Patel has promised a firm response, telling Reuters that anyone involved in a breach of national security will be “investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” The severity of the threat reignites debate over foreign interference in U.S. politics as Washington seeks to counter cyberattacks from Iran and other rival nations.
Some of the emails stolen by the “Robert” group have already been verified by Reuters in previous leaks. Among the documents released are alleged financial negotiations between Trump and lawyers for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as well as exchanges of messages regarding a possible out-of-court settlement with Stormy Daniels. The hackers say they did not intend to release more material after Trump’s re-election, but changed their position after the escalation of the conflict between Iran and Israel, which prompted US intervention.
It should be recalled that in September 2024, the US Department of Justice indicted three members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards for involvement in cyberespionage campaigns during the electoral process. Although Tehran has denied the accusations, suspicions about the Iranian regime’s involvement have persisted.