António Nunes met with the President of the Republic today at the Palácio de Belém, following an invitation from Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. Next week, with exact timing yet to be determined, the League of Portuguese Firefighters will present proposals to amend the fire-fighting system.
Since July, mainland Portugal has been plagued by numerous wildfires, particularly affecting the Northern and Central regions, leading to the declaration of a state of alert from August 2nd due to soaring temperatures.
The fires have resulted in two fatalities, including a firefighter, as well as numerous injuries, most of which were minor. They have also caused the total or partial destruction of primary and secondary residences, agricultural operations, and forested areas.
Portugal has activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism, under which two Fire Boss planes are expected to arrive on Monday to assist in battling the fires.
According to provisional official figures, by August 17th, 172,000 hectares had burned in the country, surpassing the total area burned throughout 2024.
