The National Republican Guard (GNR) is set to enforce fuel management around buildings and infrastructures starting Monday. The force, including the Environmental and Nature Protection Service (Sepna), is prepared to issue fines to landowners who have not cleared their properties.
Authorities, however, intend to exercise discretion in imposing fines, acknowledging the “challenges in the labor market and machinery availability.” It was noted that while considerations are made for landowners, attention is also warranted for “neighbors who have complied and are entitled to have adjoining lands cleared.”
The deadline for land clearance, initially set for April 30, was extended by the government to May 31 due to weather conditions and, subsequently, by another 15 days as requested by industry associations.
The joint order from the Secretaries of State for Civil Protection, Paulo Simões Ribeiro, and Forests, Rui Ladeira, as published in the Official Gazette, states, “Fuel management works in the secondary network of fuel management strips can continue until June 15, 2025.”
As part of the Safe Forest Campaign 2025 aimed at preventing forest fires, the GNR identified “10,417 parcels that may potentially violate fuel management regulations” between February 16 and April 30, according to the security force’s communication division.
Fuel management seeks to reduce plant and wood material to slow fire spread and intensity around homes and rural communities. Most of the flagged parcels are in the districts of Leiria (2,606), Bragança (1,162), Santarém (941), Coimbra (818), and Viseu (798).
The 10,417 parcels identified this year exceed the 10,256 recorded by May 31 last year but remain below the 14,319 in 2023, 10,989 in 2022, 14,545 in 2021, 24,227 in 2020, and 31,582 in 2019.
Ricardo Vaz Alves, director of GNR’s Sepna, noted that the “number of identifications is consistent with last year’s” and, considering prior years’ 14,000 identifications, perceives an “evolution in society’s awareness towards fuel management.”
“Considerable efforts in public awareness are bearing fruit in terms of fuel management,” commented the official when speaking to Lusa.
The Sepna director assured that GNR’s objective is “to always raise awareness and address potentially non-compliant situations,” issuing fines only as a last resort and after “identification, discussions with owners, and engaging with neighbors to ensure the message is conveyed and corrections are made.”
Since the start of the Safe Forest Campaign until May 18, provisional data show GNR registered 36 administrative infractions for illegal burnings and 100 for pile and bonfire burnings.
Fuel management strips aim to prevent rural fires, but the National Federation of Forest Owners’ Associations requested a “one-and-a-half-month” extension for the deadline due to weather conditions.
Amid challenges in hiring companies for clearing, notably due to labor shortages and equipment limitations, the FNAPF and ANEFA – National Association of Forestry, Agricultural, and Environmental Companies found the timeline insufficient for most works and requested additional time before authorities initiate non-compliance inspections and fine proceedings.
Violations of fuel management regulations constitute offenses punishable by fines ranging from €140 to €5,000 for individuals and €1,500 to €60,000 for organizations.
