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PORTUGAL SAFETY AND SECURITY REPORT WEDNESDAY 10TH SEPTEMBER 2025

Good afternoon. Almost serving as a reminder that we are not yet out of the fire season, was the fire on Monday in Santo António De Monforte, Chaves in the north of Portugal which at one stage required the deployment of around 250 operatives and 11 aircraft. Actually which I say fire season, I mean the time of year when the fire risk is generally higher; although as we know there is a tendency for fires to start at any time of the year, especially during periods of heatwaves.

Portugal has just experienced its longest heatwave lasting 20 days. The effects of this allowed fires (over 95% caused by human hands) to develop and spread quickly, due to dryness of the vegetation, high temperatures and winds. The situation was exacerbated by the difficulty in accessing fire scenes by firefighters on the ground in some areas. Also on occasions due to the large amount of smoke, it was unsafe for firefighting aircraft to operate. The quick aerial response during the daytime was not available during the night time, when several fires broke out.

Studies show that the hot, dry, and windy conditions that fuelled the fires in Spain and Portugal are now about 40 times more frequent and about 30% more intense than they would be in a world without climate change.

The wildfires in Europe show that the current 1.3°C of warming is already incredibly dangerous. If we don’t move away from fossil fuels, which release large amounts of carbon dioxide more quickly, we could reach 3°C this century. Wildfires at this level would be catastrophic.

Read more about this in our Feature in the Portugal Resident out tomorrow 11^th September

Turning from land to sea. Four months into the 2025 Beach Season, the National Maritime Authority has recorded 1,007 rescues, 3,561 first aid operations, and 16 fatalities on Portuguese beaches between May 1st and August 31st. of the fatalities. This is a very large number and most are preventable if people simply followed the warnings that are in place. We ask people to take care and use beach where there are lifeguards.

Last week  we warned that whenever  there is heavy rain following rural fires, is the instability of slopes, increased by the removal of vegetation cover, or by artificial soil development, which also leads to the risk of mass movements (landslides, collapses and others), increased by water infiltration.  Locations that are downhill and downstream from burned areas are also in the following circumstances susceptible to flash flooding and debris lows, especially in and near steep terrain.

There was in face less rain than expected so it is important therefore that when we do finally get heavy rain to be on the lookout for slope instability. In particular be especially care when driving in roads where there are steep burned slopes.

Finally a reminder that the Judicial Police has created an official information hotline dedicated to officials and the families of the victims of the tragic Elevador da Glória accident: Phone: 211 968 000; E-mail chefepiquetelx@pj.pt For effective and agile performance of this service, it is requested that only family members, close friends and official entities use it.

We wish you a good week ahead

News

Almost half of Portuguese adults can only understand simple, short texts

You have to get almost to the end of the table published in the report “Education at a Glance 2025”, released this Tuesday by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), to find Portugal

Four in 10 Portuguese people aged between 25 and 64 can only understand simple, short texts, according to a report released this Tuesday that shows Portugal among the countries with the lowest levels of literacy proficiency.

Second among 30 countries with the lowest level of literacy proficiency, 46% of Portuguese people aged between 25 and 64 have great difficulty interpreting texts and can only understand very short texts with minimal irrelevant information.

The conclusion comes from the survey of adult skills, conducted within the framework of the OECD’s Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC)

With five proficiency levels, ranging from the ability to identify information in short texts (level 1) to the ability to synthesize and critically evaluate complex information (level 5), nearly half of Portuguese people scored at level 1 or below, a percentage much higher than the OECD average (27%).

Behind Portugal was only Chile, where 57% of respondents also did not go beyond level 1.

On the other hand, around a third of respondents in Portugal are able to integrate information from multiple sources, and 18% went a little further and demonstrated that they were able to interpret and evaluate complex texts.

At the highest levels (4 and 5) only 3% of Portuguese scored, the same percentage in Poland and Slovakia and lower only in Chile and Lithuania (both 2%), while the OECD average is 12%.

The analysis of these results within the scope of Education at a Glance 2025 also reveals that the level of education and skills are closely linked.

In Portugal, for example, adults with higher education demonstrated greater ease in understanding and analysing texts, achieving, on average, 36 points more than those with only secondary education and nearly 70 points more than those surveyed without completing the 12th grade.

Literacy proficiency levels are also related, on the other hand, to the commitment to training, with adults with better skills being more likely to participate in education or training.

According to the survey’s findings, by 2023, 80% of adults at literacy proficiency levels 4 or 5 had completed some formal or informal course or training in the last year, while only 22% of those at level 1 or below had done so.

The trial of the couple accused of triple homicide in Bragança has begun.

Nélida Guerreiro and Sidney Martins, who became known as the Portuguese Bonnie & Clyde, are facing charges of a triple homicide between parents and son, which occurred in the parish of Donai, near Bragança, in 2022. The pair had devised a scheme to steal drugs and valuables.

The trial of the couple accused of robbing and murdering a family began this Monday in Bragança, Bragança. The crime is particularly shocking and includes charges of setting fire to the victims’ homes in an attempt to cover their tracks and dispose of the bodies.

They became known as the Portuguese Bonnie & Clyde and are now serving nine-year prison sentences for robbery and kidnapping in several gas station robberies in the Algarve.

They are also the perpetrators of several armed robberies in Spain, where they were captured after having fled.

Nélida Guerreiro and Sidney Martins are responding to a new triple homicide case that occurred in the parish of Donai, near Bragança, in 2022.

The crime victimized a family—parents and son. According to the prosecution, the defendant had an apparent romantic relationship with the couple’s son, a 40-year-old man, who supplied her with drugs, even though she was living in a de facto relationship with the defendant, both of whom were drug users.

The duo devised a scheme to steal drugs, valuables, and money from the victim. This plan was attempted on July 9, 2022.

The crime

Taking advantage of the victim’s absence, the defendant entered his residence, but was surprised by his mother, who stabbed him 10 times, causing fatal injuries.

Ten days later, on the night of July 19, the defendant, intending to eliminate evidence of the previous crime and carry out the planned robbery, returned to the same residence. He went to the couple’s son’s room, where the defendant was already.

Together, the pair killed the man with 17 stab wounds. They then attacked the father, who had woken up to the noise, stabbing him 24 times, which were also fatal.

Then, in order to hide the evidence and dispose of the bodies, the defendants set fire to two rooms in the house.

For all these reasons, they are accused of murder, desecration of a corpse, theft, assault on physical integrity and arson.

 

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 3^rd September 2025

Good afternoon. The very tragic earthquake in Afghanistan in the news at present with over 1400 deaths, it is timely reminder that Portugal is also in an earthquake risk zone. It is important therefore that everyone is prepared and knows what action to take should a strong earthquake take place. Thankfully these are rare, but the impact can be high.

Although a Mag 6 earthquake in Portugal is unlikely to result in the same level of casualties and destruction as in Afghanistan, due to the fact that most modern buildings are built to earthquake standards, there are still many people living in older buildings that do not meet these standards. Also factors such as the timing of the earthquake, its location, and the depth of the earthquake are some of the factors that can determine the level of impact. Generally speaking earthquakes at night can result in higher casualties. It is important therefore to follow the posts we make on our Facebook concerning this topic as well as our website here: https://www.safecommunitiesportugal.com/find-information/environment-and-weather/earthquake-tsunami/

The Council of Europe yesterday reported that the top positions in the Portuguese government and security forces are receiving little scrutiny in terms of corruption prevention measures. The report by the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) and the Council of Europe acknowledges that Portugal has made progress in adopting measures to prevent corruption, but believes that further action is needed. However as an example of progress is the introductory briefings and training sessions which have been organised for members of the new government, and confidential counselling is now available to all individuals with top executive functions, which is an important milestone. The report also welcomes the launch of an electronic platform for submitting declarations.

In a mid-term review of corruption prevention measures, GRECO concluded that Portugal has partially implemented 18 of the 28 recommendations made in the past by the Council of Europe. GRECO is a body of the Council of Europe that aims to improve its members’ ability to combat corruption. GRECO invites the Portuguese authorities to report on the progress achieved in implementing its recommendations by 30 September 2026.

With pickpocketing incidents rising by 12% in Portugal during 2024 (Portuguese Annual Internal Security Report), understanding effective prevention strategies has never been more critical for personal security. Portugal ranks 6th among European destinations for pickpocketing incidents (58 mentions per million visitors), trailing behind Italy’s staggering 478 per million. This positions us within a continent wide security challenge that demands coordinated prevention efforts (Source: European Pickpocketing Index, 2024). Although Portugal ranks highly in the Global Pace index there are some areas where pickpocketing is more prevalent especially at some tourist attracts particularly in Lisbon. It is wise therefore to take precautions.

Government is to review by the end of the year the structure of Civil Protection following the fires in August. It is felt however, that any changes to the Civil Protection system should only be made after the independent technical commission has produced its findings. There was much criticism among the public and even local authorities regarding the leadership in combating what was the largest fires ever recorded in Portugal. However, 93% of these fires were suppressed within 90 minutes, being the initial tack phase.

Apparently the government is even planning structural changes, but it is felt this should not come before the independent technical commission’s has presented its conclusions. For now, the priority is to analyse what went well and what didn’t during the fires, and if this means that there is a need for a structure change, this should follow in a separate review. Care is needed “not to put the cart before the horse”!

Our team at Safe Communities Portugal wishes you all a safe week ahead

News

Civil Protection wants to reorganize firefighting commands and advocates for additional firefighters

In an interview with Expresso, the president of Civil Protection suggests that it makes no sense for a country with 18 districts to have 29 fire-fighting commands divided into regions and sub-regions.

The head of Civil Protection wants to change the organization of firefighting commands. The Secretary of State for Civil Protection promises to make the change, but only after the fire season.

It was one of the most common criticisms heard during the recent fires: having someone outside the district in charge of the fires.

In an interview with Expresso, the president of Civil Protection suggests that it makes no sense for a country with 18 districts to have 29 fire-fighting commands divided into regions and sub-regions, and that he considers the argument that this helps to access community funds to be short-sighted.

José Manuel Moura participated in a meeting with mayors from the interior of the state this Friday morning, alongside the Secretary of State for Civil Protection. He heard the government representative assure him that the proposed amendment will be made by the end of the year.

“This is one of the topics that we will bring to the table after the device is passed, also with contributions from various stakeholders so that by the end of the year the Government can present its idea for amending the organic law,” says Rui Rocha, Secretary of State for Civil Protection.

In an interview with the weekly newspaper, the president of Civil Protection says that Portugal should have a special firefighting force with five times the number of personnel. The Secretary of State says this matter will also be discussed.

The ‘La Niña’ phenomenon could impact the climate again this month

The ‘La Niña’ phenomenon could once again impact climate and weather patterns from September onwards, estimates the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

By definition, ‘La Niña’ corresponds to the periodic cooling of sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, associated with changes in tropical atmospheric circulation, including changes in wind, pressure and precipitation patterns.

Despite the temporary cooling influence of ‘La Niña’ from September onwards, temperatures are still expected to be above average across much of the world until November, the WMO estimates in a report released this Tuesday.

According to WMO forecasts, there is a 55% chance that sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific will cool to La Niña levels between September and November.

The probability will be slightly higher, around 60%, if the period between October and December is considered.

According to the WMO, natural climate events like La Niña are occurring “in the broader context of human-induced climate change, which is increasing global temperatures, exacerbating extreme weather, and affecting seasonal precipitation and temperature patterns.”

The World Meteorological Organization notes that the rainfall forecast “resembles conditions typically observed during a moderate La Niña.”

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 27^th August 2025

Good afternoon. One of Portugal’s longest every heatwaves is now over, which facilitated the ignition and spread of a number of major fires in the centre and north of Portugal, resulting in a period of days in 4 deaths and around 200,000 hectares of burned land.

The fires started during a heatwave and due to the high temperatures, the extreme dryness of vegetation, bushes, leaves and shrubs, led to high intensity fires spreading very quickly and to a level well above the capacity of firefighters (on the ground and in the air) to suppress these. In the end the fires were only extinguished through an increase in humidity overnight which allowed fire fighters to take effective action.

An example is the Aganil fire which started on 13^th August, spread to many municipalities and became Portugal’s largest fire in terms of area burned, 64,451 hectares of land. It is now in the conclusion stage with 378 operatives still deployed to deal with any re-ignitions. At its height, however, the deployment stood at some1700 operatives and 20 aircraft fighting the fires.

This scenario is one we have warned of many times, in this newsletter, as well as on social media and KissFM radio.

One of the most important elements of communication is clear and comprehensive situation reports which hopefully we at Safe Communities Portugal have been providing from many sources usually twice a day. Completely lacking at present is the total number of injuries from these fires even if these were only provisional at this stage

Although the current fires are considerable, they are nowhere near the number of the October fires of 2017, when at one stage around 500 fires were recorded in just one day! Also the death toll stands at four, nowhere near over the 100 in the two fires of 2017. Much of this is down to the lessons learned from 2017 including the excellent work conducted mainly by the GNR in undertaking timely evacuations.

Lastly we thank everyone one involved in tackling these fire: the Bombeiros, the GNR, Forrest Sappers, civil protection Special Forces, the Army, the pilots of the firefighting aircraft and all those involved in logistics and support such as the Red Cross, INEM etc.

From fires to rough seas

Today and in the coming days, extra care should be taken at beaches and sea fronts. According to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), waves of up to four meters in height are expected on the west coast on Tuesday. Authorities are urging the public to exercise extra caution, especially now, during the bathing season. Some beaches are completely closed to swimming. For example this is the case at Foz do Douro, where, in addition to raising a red flag, swimmers have ended up closing the entrance to the beach. Do not try and enter beaches that are closed – as they are closed for good reasons!

The Unidade Local de Saúde (ULS) of Leiria Region warned this Tuesday about the increased presence in Pombal of the tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) that transmits Zika and dengue and asked the population to adopt measures to prevent its spread.

Although no cases of diseases associated with this vector have been recorded in mainland Portugal, it is important to highlight that the tiger mosquito is a potential transmitter of viruses such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, causing painful bites and allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. One of the main preventive steps is to avoid prevention and control measures, which include eliminating stagnant water in flowerpots, tires, bottles, drains or other containers. Although this is aimed at Pombal, the advice also applies to any area where there are mosquitoes.

We wish you a good week ahead.

News

Spain has already mobilized 5,600 troops and 2,000 assets from the Armed Forces

Spain has already sent 5,600 military personnel and more than 2,000 air and ground resources from the Armed Forces to the fires this year, in an unprecedented mobilization in recent decades to combat the fires, the Government said today.

The autonomous regions, which are responsible for civil protection in Spain, have already asked the central government 41 times to activate the Military Emergency Unit (UME, a special force of the Armed Forces created 20 years ago that operates in disaster scenarios), said Defence Minister Margarita Robles at a hearing in the Senate (the upper house of the Spanish Cortes).

All requests were responded to, with resources from the UME and the rest of the Armed Forces, the minister assured, and emphasized that Spanish legislation only allows military personnel to act in these scenarios at the request of regional governments.

According to Margarita Robles, 5,600 personnel and more than 200 resources “of all types” – air, land and others – have already been mobilized to respond to an “unprecedented situation in August” in the country, due to the number of fires burning simultaneously and the “virulence” of the flames.

The minister also highlighted that in the wave of fires that has hit Spain since the beginning of the month, the work was carried out in an “absolutely coordinated” manner and “without controversy” between the “technical teams” of the autonomous communities and the military until August 15.

According to Margarita Robles, on that date, however, “surprisingly”, during the night, and after statements from the national leadership of the Popular Party (PP, right), the three regions most affected by the fires, all led by the PP (Galicia, Castile and León and Extremadura), sent new requests for resources in writing to the central government, “abstract” or in “incredible quantities” impossible to meet even using all the air resources available in the European Union’s civil protection mechanism.

“It’s as if there were no resources on the ground,” said the minister, who gave examples of assistance requested at that time by the regions from the military that were met and then never used or were only activated punctually or after several days.

Robles urged politicians, in a situation like the one Spain is facing with the fires, to let technicians and experts work and make decisions.

The minister of the Spanish government led by socialist Pedro Sánchez praised the military sent to the fires and also highlighted the praise for the “technical teams” and forestry brigades of the autonomous regions governed by the PP.

Without directly singling out regional governments, he also criticized the “lack of prevention and foresight” of some officials, stressing that the EMU can only respond as it has in recent weeks with “hard and adequate” preparation work throughout the year and investments in equipment and human resources.

AI model simulates current climate over periods of up to a thousand years in just 12 hours

The Deep Learning Earth System Model (DLESyM) runs on a single processor and performs a forecast in just 12 hours, while a state-of-the-art supercomputer would take approximately 90 days to do the same.

An artificial intelligence (AI) model can accurately simulate Earth’s current climate and interannual variability over periods of up to 1,000 years in just one day, according to a study released Tuesday by Europa Press.

The work of researchers at the University of Washington in the United States, released by the Spanish private news agency, was published in the scientific journal AGU Advances on Monday.

The Deep Learning Earth System Model (DLESyM) runs on a single processor and performs a forecast in just 12 hours, while a state-of-the-art supercomputer would take approximately 90 days to do the same.

“DLESyM simulations match or exceed key metrics of seasonal and interannual variability—such as tropical cyclogenesis across the range of observed intensities, the Indian summer monsoon cycle, and the climatology of mid-latitude blocking events—when compared with historical simulations from four leading models of the sixth Climate Model Intercomparison Project,” notes the abstract that introduces the scientific paper.

“It worked very well”

The program combines two neural networks, one representing the atmosphere and the other the ocean, which had not previously been done in models powered solely by AI.

“We were the first to apply this framework to AI and found it worked very well,” said Nathaniel Cresswell-Clay, a graduate student in Atmospheric and Climate Sciences at the University of Washington and the paper’s lead author, as quoted by Europa Press.

The researcher is currently working to include a land surface model in DLESyM, the latest contribution from the group led by Dale Durran, professor of Atmospheric and Climate Sciences at the University of Washington and one of the first scientists to introduce AI into weather forecasting more than five years ago.

The researchers compared their predictions of past events with those of the four leading models from the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6), all of which run on supercomputers and whose “future climate predictions were essential inputs to the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).”

DLESyM simulated tropical cyclones and the seasonal cycle of the Indian summer monsoon better than the CMIP6 models, and in the mid-latitudes, it captured the monthly and interannual variability of weather patterns at least as well as they did.

Neither model is 100% accurate, but the AI ​​model also has the advantage of much lower power consumption.

“The quality of our results validates our model and increases our confidence in its future projections,” said Cresswell-Clay.

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 13^th August 2025

Good morning everyone. The fires over the last 12 days have been extensive, intensive and prolonged. One 12 days from ignition is still actives and there are several that over 3-4 days. This is an illustration of what we have warned of over the last year, that climate change and extreme temperatures is providing the basis for  more extreme fires which burn at such an intensity, that it is difficult for firefighters to supress using normal means.

In monitoring these fires daily we cannot recall a time that so many fires have re-ignited from being in resolution or even conclusion some three or four times.

There is speculation whether or not Portugal will extend the State of Alert for the second time. It is currently due to expire on 13 the August at 23.59 hrs. However, the fire risk for the days ahead are not good with the fire risk forecast being particularly high at 90% of the mainland at very high or above. A decision will need to be reached today.

It was reported on Monday confirmed by the ANEPC that none of Canadair’s firefighting aircraft in the country are operational. The aircraft, which was operating in the Tâmega and Barroso region, had taken off from Castelo Branco when smoke was detected in one of its engines, Civil Protection confirmed to RTP. Shortly after, it returned to the airfield, making an emergency landing. The failure occurred a week after a second Canadair ditched in the Douro. A third Canadair is also not operational.

Avincis, the company responsible for the fleet of Canadair aircraft used to fight wildfires in Portugal, describes an “unprecedented situation.” The aircraft it provided to the Portuguese government are currently inoperable due to mechanical problems.

When these aerial resources are not in operation, particularly in weeks like these, it has a decisive influence – not only in containing the fires, but in many cases in resolving them. Despite being the Mediterranean country with the largest area of burned forest, Portugal is also the only one that does not have its own fleet of these planes – the three in question are rented.

Fortunately Morocco has stepped in activating a bilateral cooperation with Portugal and provided two replacements which arrived on Monday and are now in service. These aircraft normally operate in pairs. Spain was ask to assist but they need their Canadair’s due to the high fire risk situation there. There is no indication that any request was earlier made under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which appears strange in these circumstances.

The first Canadair heavy forest firefighting aircraft to replace those that are inoperable arrived in Portugal early this afternoon and a second will arrive “in the coming days,” according to the Avinica company that operates these aircraft. Clearly the speed of replacements reflects the seriousness of the problem and the absolute need for heavy duty firefighting aircraft in these major fires.

Portugal has only completed 40% of its National Action Plan (PNA) to reduce the destruction caused by forest fires: the objective, the newspaper ‘Público’ revealed this Tuesday, was to clear one million hectares of Portuguese forest between 2020 and 2024. However, the clearing operations covered only 400 thousand hectares. According to the National Plan of Action (PNA), which establishes the goals and priorities of the Integrated Rural Fire Management System, the achievement rate for the 98 objectives set by 2030 reached 56% last year. However, experts are more cautious about this assessment. (More about this in our news article below)

Lastly we are experiencing daily temperatures up to 43C/44C in some places .Health in such conditions is vitally import; so please take the advice of DGS concerning steps to avoid dehydration, especially for children and the elderly.

Our team at Safe Communities wishes you a good week ahead.t

News

Only 40% of the national forest cleaning plan has been completed

Portugal has only completed 40% of its National Action Plan (PNA) to reduce the destruction caused by forest fires: the objective, the newspaper ‘Público’ revealed this Tuesday, was to clear one million hectares of Portuguese forest between 2020 and 2024. However, the clearing operations covered only 400 thousand hectares.

According to the National Plan of Action (PNA), which establishes the goals and priorities of the Integrated Rural Fire Management System, the achievement rate for the 98 objectives set by 2030 reached 56% last year. However, experts are more cautious about this assessment.

The performance report, according to Miguel Freitas, former Secretary of State in António Costa’s government, “gives a good picture of the state of the art, but if we look at the physical implementation, which is fundamental, everything remains unfulfilled.” “On the ground, the investment in prevention isn’t felt,” he added. Francisco Castro Rego, academic and former president of the Independent Technical Observatory created by the Assembly of the Republic to define a strategy against wildfires, also indicated that the AGIF report [the agency that coordinates and monitors entities involved in preventing and combating forest fires] “is very well done,” but “it’s just numbers.”

Despite the promises of successive governments, forest clearing, management, and economic development have not changed, as was seen in September 2024: in one week, more than one hundred thousand hectares of forest burned and 16 people died, leading the AGIF to recognize in its report a warning sign for the present and the future: “The fires of September 2024 show that there are difficulties to overcome and call on Portuguese society and its political representatives to mobilize to strengthen the path already defined.”

Tiago Oliveira, chairman of the agency’s board of directors, emphasized that, after 2023, the sense of urgency that politicians and society in general placed on fighting the fires has been deflated. “It’s essential that the country re-discuss what needs to be done,” he warned, noting that “the difficult things” remain to be done. “Politicians don’t want to discuss the Gordian knots” of the sector in the Assembly. Which ones? Changes to the inheritance system that perpetuates undivided inheritances and abandonment, the financing model for municipalities based on their forest area, or multi-year program contracts with forest producer organizations.

The cleanup of the national forest failed across the board, despite the ambitious goals set by the National Plan of Action (PNA): between 2020 and 2024, one million hectares were to be cleared, and by the end of the program, in 2030, 2.5 million. Resources from agricultural policy, the PRR, and the State Budget were allocated to this end. The clean-up, which was to be coordinated and monitored by ANEPC (National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority), relied on various resources and institutions: sapper goats, contracts with producers and municipalities, programs from the ICNF (Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests), controlled fires, and obligations of electricity and gas grid managers and Infrastructure Portugal.

However, the numbers are revealing: in 2024, grazing with over half a million animals totalled 3,480 hectares; controlled fires totalled 2,100 hectares—94% below the program’s targets. The ICNF, energy companies, and Infraestruturas de Portugal are also reducing their contributions: in 2021, when political and social pressure was high, they cleared 88,000 hectares; in 2024, they cleared 75,000.

The national forest is more vulnerable, exacerbated by climate change: with brush accumulating over the years in the mountains, among the trees, large fires will continue to plague the summer. To stop this threat, Portugal would need to clear more than twice the forest area it is currently managing.

By the end of 2024, almost 338,000 hectares had already burned; this year, with at least two months of hardship ahead, fires have consumed almost 50,000 hectares.

 

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 6^th August 2025

 

Good morning everyone, We have experienced several  large fires over the last two weeks in Particular the Ponte da Barca fire lasting nine days and the Sirarelos fire for five days so far. The north has been the area most affected, with damage to property, the environment and injuries. So far fortunately no deaths.

Weather conditions are increasingly favourable for large fires, but for fires to occur, there must be ignitions. So the way to avoid this difficult situation, which is progressively getting worse, is to make a much greater effort to minimize ignitions. Regarding the major fires of recent days, when asked whether, with climate change, Portugal is doomed to have more and more fires, Filipe Duarte Santos a university professor and president of the National Council for Environment and Sustainable Development, replied that this will only happen if nothing is done, and that what needs to be done is to prevent ignitions. The uncomfortable truths: it’s pointless to think of the country without fires, and direct firefighting won’t always be successful.

It is true, that climate change favours weather conditions, that are very conducive to rural fires, with very high temperatures, very dry soil, and this year, especially, a lot of biomass, as last winter was very wet. With increasingly dangerous, uncontrolled fires, strong winds, low humidity, and high temperatures, “what would be necessary would be for there to be practically no ignitions”, the majority of which are of human origin.

There has been calls from various mayors for Portugal to request the activation of the European Civil Protection Mechanism, requesting assistance mainly additional aircraft. The Secretary of State Rui Rocha however highlighted that aerial resources are often unable to operate due to weather conditions and smoke, as was the case with the fires in Ponte da Barca and Arouca. He also added that the situation “is similar in Spain, France, Italy and Greece” and highlighted that “the European mechanism is not a pool of air resources that is available” for each country to collect.

When asked about criticism from some mayors about a lack of resources, Rui Rocha said that he had also been mayor, considering that “for those who are on the ground in a situation of distress and want to respond to a dramatic situation, all resources are scarce” .The Secretary of State also said that the combat assets deployed were those considered “adequate and adequate” by the operational command.

The European Union Civil Protection Mechanism helps EU and non-EU countries respond to emergencies such as natural disasters, health crises or fires. Countries can request assistance from this mechanism whenever an emergency overwhelms their response capabilities.

We sometimes receive reports from people who claim to have been the victim of fraud when purchasing goods on line. Often however these turn out to be a consumer affairs issue. It is therefore important to know you rights as a consumer. This can be found on the website of DECO Portugal Association for Consumer Protect, who are Portugal’s main Consumer Rights organisation Link here: https://deco.pt/mobilidade-e-transportes/deco-informa-sobre-os-direitos-dos-passageiros-consulte-o-nosso-guia/

 

 

News

The state has 10 aircraft that can fight fires but does not use them because there is a lack of “kits”

To be used to fight fires, these aircraft would have to be adapted with a “modular air-transportable firefighting system”, which includes a tank with a capacity of 12 thousand litres.

The Air Force has 10 aircraft that could be used to fight rural fires, but it does not use them for this purpose because the State has not purchased the “kits” that allow the aircraft to be adapted for this mission.

According to the newspaper Público this Wednesday , to be used in fighting the fires, these three heavy aircraft and seven light helicopters of the Portuguese Air Force (FAP) would have to be adapted with a “modular air-transportable fire-fighting system”, which includes a tank with the capacity to carry 12 thousand litres

The “kit” was first used by the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) in July 2024 and, according to that entity, has “been an effective tool in fighting forest fires, such as in the Pantanal and in the interior of the state of São Paulo”, says the newspaper.

In a note published on its website, the FAB says that the KC-390 is suitable for “fighting large-scale forest fires.”

The six KC-390s that Portugal purchased from the Brazilian company Embraer – which are intended to replace the Lockheed C-130s that have operated for more than 45 years in the FAP – do not have firefighting as their primary mission, but can be used in these missions.

In August 2019, when the contract to purchase the planes from Embraer was signed, the socialist minister João Gomes Cravinho said that the KC390 would have a “dual use – civil and military, including fighting fires”, but did not explain that the contract did not provide for the purchase of the “kit” that makes this mission possible, writes the newspaper.

The KC-390 only refuels at an airfield – unlike amphibians that can quickly refuel in a river or lake – and takes about 40 minutes to take off again, which affects the rate of water releases.

However, Público explains, it can carry 12,000 liters of water and does not need to be released all at once, meaning a single load can be used for several fires.

 

Climate change expert Filipe Duarte Santos believes that climate change favors large fires, but denies a direct link because, he says, fires only occur because of ignitions.

Weather conditions are increasingly favourable for large fires, but for fires to occur, there must be ignitions. So the way to avoid this difficult situation, which is progressively getting worse, is to make a much greater effort to minimize ignitions.

Regarding the major fires of recent days, when asked whether, with climate change, Portugal is doomed to have more and more fires, Filipe Duarte Santos said that this will only happen if nothing is done, and that what needs to be done is to prevent ignitions.

t is true, he said, that climate change favors weather conditions that are very conducive to rural fires, with very high temperatures, very dry soil, and this year, especially, a lot of biomass, as last winter was very wet.

“Whether we’re going to have increasingly worse situations depends largely on whether or not we’re able to reduce the number of ignitions, which has been decreasing, but relatively little. There are still many ignitions every day, at all hours,” during the afternoon, evening, or early morning.

Thus, summarized the university professor and president of the National Council for Environment and Sustainable Development, with increasingly dangerous, uncontrolled fires, strong winds, low humidity, and high temperatures, “what would be necessary would be for there to be practically no ignitions”, the majority of which are of human origin.

Filipe Duarte Santos said that another “unique situation” in Portugal must also be resolved: it is the country in the European Union with the highest percentage of burned area in relation to the total continental area.

Citing the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), Filipe Duarte Santos noted that, on average, from 2006 to 2024, the burned area represented 1.05% of mainland Portugal. Greece followed with 0.38%, followed by Cyprus with 0.32%.

“One of the things that needs to be understood is why this is the case.”

The expert, a geophysicist by training, suggests an explanation: “I think it has to do with the fact that forest property, rural buildings, are extremely fragmented.”

In the previous government, he explained, a working group was set up for rural properties which concluded that there are 10.5 million rural properties in the country, mainly in the center and north of the country, with an average size of 0.6 hectares in the center.

“This reduces the economic value of rural properties,” he said, adding that 30% of properties are undivided inheritances, with owners spread across countries like Brazil, France, or England, with many heirs, often dispersed.

“Until we give economic value to rural property in Portugal, which will most likely require land consolidation, this (fires) will continue to happen, because these forested or scrubland parcels are practically abandoned, and something that is abandoned has no value,” he warned.

Mainland Portugal has been on high alert since Sunday and until Thursday due to the high risk of fires. Especially since last week, fires have consumed vast areas, mainly in the center and north of the country.

 

 

 

Cristiano Ronaldo and Luís Montenegro used in disinformation campaign

Disinformation fueled by Artificial Intelligence (AI) has increased in Portugal, using figures such as Cristino Ronaldo and Prime Minister Luís Montenegro to encourage investment in fraudulent platforms, a report developed by IBERIFIER concluded.

The quarterly report from IBERIFIER (Iberian Observatory of Digital Media of Portugal and Spain) reveals that between March and May 2025, in Portugal, there was an increase in AI-fueled disinformation, targeting both national and international figures.

The technology is used for fraudulent financial schemes wrongly attributed to figures such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Luís Montenegro, with the aim of encouraging investment in fraudulent platforms.

“These publications often use ‘deepfake’ videos or AI-edited screenshots to appear legitimate,” the document states, adding that AI is also used to manipulate narratives related to large-scale fires.

Furthermore, during the study period, the political crisis that led to the fall of the previous government, migration policies, the death of Pope Francis and the election of Pope Leo XIV were some of the topics that also dominated disinformation.

When the previous government fell, “there was a significant increase in disinformation campaigns, especially during the election campaign and in televised debates between candidates,” he says.

In this specific case, the observatory highlights the existence of conspiracy theories about the candidates themselves, as well as disinformation campaigns about health, housing, wages, defense, the European Union (EU), reforms, pensions, and immigration.

“Many of these disinformation narratives focused primarily on immigrants, with recurring themes such as violence and the idea that Portuguese people were being replaced in their own country,” the researchers note.

Also, “the blackout that affected Portugal, Spain and several other European countries has become one of the main sources of disinformation in the region” over the last three months.

“The misinformation surrounding this issue was highlighted by repeated attempts to justify the event through unverified allegations and unfounded rumours, thus contributing to a climate of confusion and growing public distrust,” the document reads.

he report presented by IBERIFIER is published quarterly and brings together the main verifications carried out by the 25 entities that make up the consortium in the Iberian Peninsula.