In recent years, Portugal has been frequently affected by fires, which are becoming more intense due to climate change, such as droughts and heat waves. Since 2017, when the country experienced one of the most tragic series of fires, killing more than 100 people, the situation has become increasingly serious. These fires have destroyed thousands of hectares of forests, meadows and residential areas. The main causes of the fires are not only climate change, but also negligence in the management of forests and the activity of arsonists.
Eucalyptus in Portugal
It should be mentioned that 90% of the areas affected by the disaster were occupied by eucalyptus plantations (which in total constitute 24.4% of Portuguese forests). Eucalyptus has always reminded me of Australia, it’s not a Portuguese native tree, why does it grom in Portugal then? Well, if you don’t know what it’s all about… it’s all about money… Eucalyptus trees were brought to Europe in the mid-19th century. Their cultivation is extremely profitable, which is why they became the basis of the Portuguese paper industry. The trees grow very quickly, they lose their leaves little by little throughout the year, and the bark constantly peels off in sheets from the entire trunk. Both the leaves and the bark are full of highly flammable essential oils. In addition, there is the soil drained by the roots. Environmental protection organizations have been sounding the alarm for years to limit the cultivation of eucalyptus and thus the risk of fires. To no avail.
Tragic June 2017
In June 2017, Portugal struggled with a huge wave of fires caused by drought and deliberate arson. The fire mainly devastated the district of Leiria, located 160 km from Lisbon. The area affected by the disaster had been in drought for several weeks, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius. On June 17, a dry storm passed over the city of Pedrógão Grande, during which lightning allegedly struck a tree, causing a fire, and gusty winds spread the fire to nearby forests, covering an area of 53,000 hectares.
Portuguese “Death Road”
In the June fires (2017), a total of 64 people died (260 injured), 47 of whom died on national road no. 236 connecting Figueiró dos Vinhos with Castanheira de Pera where the flames cut off the drivers’ escape route. We were following the news and social media in suspense, it is impossible to remain indifferent to such a tragedy, especially in a tiny country where everything is close, the places engulfed in fire are not unfamiliar to me and friends or family of friends were in danger… I will never forget the short recording (LINK HERE) that appeared in the SIC TV (LINK HERE). The video was shot with a drone on road no. 236, called the Death Road (Estrada da Morte), shows the apocalyptic landscape after the element: wrecks of cars in which adults and small children died, charred trees, smoke, ash…
Over 500 homes and 48 companies burned down and the losses were estimated at 500 million euros.
How many animals suffered? How many people and how long will they struggle with the trauma of escaping the flames, losing their loved ones or losing their homes? How long will it take to get back on their feet? Were the firefighters and paramedics rewarded for their heroic work?
Spain, Morocco, France and Italy sent firefighting planes to help. The fire was only contained after a week. Three days of national mourning were declared. I watched as friends and people at work actively participated in fundraising for money, clothes, the most necessary things, food, water. And my heart swelled. It doesn’t matter – Portuguese or foreign, everyone wanted to help.
It all happened in June 2017. In September, on my way to the north of Portugal, I passed through the areas of Coimbra, Góis and Pedrógão Grande. 3 months have passed since the tragedy and looking at the landscape it seems like everything happened yesterday. The ruins of buildings or even burnt trees a few meters from the houses gave me goosebumps, reminding me of the human drama and the heroic fight of the firefighters.
September 2024
In September 2024, northern Portugal was hit by devastating fires that destroyed vast areas of forests and meadows. Since the middle of the month, the fire has ravaged the northern and central regions of the country, killing at least nine people and injuring more than 170 others. Among the victims were firefighters who lost their lives during rescue operations. One of them tragically died while trying to convince the owner of the property to evacuate…
The cause of the fires was the extremely high temperatures and drought, which caused the fire to spread rapidly. In addition, authorities suspect that some of the fires were deliberately started by arsonists, against whom severe penalties have been announced. In response to this tragedy, the Portuguese government declared a day of national mourning to honor the memory of the victims. Help in the fight against the fire also came from other countries, including Spain, France and Italy, which sent firefighting planes and fire trucks.
Loses
The fire destroyed over 135 thousand hectares of forest land, forcing many people to leave their homes. The situation required a huge mobilization of emergency services, which fought for a long time to control the fire. The fires cause huge economic losses, destroying infrastructure, homes and ecosystems. In 2022, the losses were estimated at around 190 thousand hectares of destroyed land. The ecological consequences are equally tragic, leading to a loss of biodiversity and soil degradation.
Portugal is trying to counteract the effects of the fires by investing in the modernization of the civil defense system, as well as strengthening international cooperation. Reforms have been introduced, such as tougher penalties for arsonists and better management of forest areas. In addition, victims of the fires can count on financial support and help to rebuild their homes. The European Union also offered financial aid and fire-fighting equipment, which plays a key role in mitigating the effects of such disasters. The state is also taking steps to better prepare for future fires, including investing in technologies to monitor and quickly respond to new fire outbreaks.
If you are or will be in Portugal I recommend the website www.fogos.pt to keep up to date with the extent of the fires, which are spreading incredibly quickly, this is no joke!