The government convened on Thursday for an extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting in Viseu, where 45 measures were approved to provide immediate support to populations and municipalities affected by wildfires. These measures aim to alleviate the impact of the forest fires on those affected.
In a social media post, the Executive highlighted various initiatives, ranging from “exceptional support” for farmers to tax exemptions:
Support for companies and farmers
Immediate support for populations
- Enhanced healthcare services in affected areas
- Exemption from healthcare fees and free medications
- Financial aid for families in economic distress
Support for reconstruction
Fiscal and exceptional measures
- Exemption from Social Security contributions for affected self-employed workers
- Extended deadlines for fiscal contributions
- Exceptional public procurement measures
- VAT exemption for donations of animal food
No timelines were provided for when these measures will take effect or if they have retroactive implications.
The Council of Ministers met shortly after the Ministers of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida, and Agriculture and Sea, José Manuel Fernandes, held discussions in Sernancelhe (Viseu district) and Trancoso (Guarda district) with municipalities from the North and Central regions affected by recent rural fires.
Following the afternoon meeting in Trancoso, Castro Almeida announced that the government will immediately proceed with 50% of the funds required for the rehabilitation of primary residences affected by fires, as soon as costs are defined.
The government promises swift support for populations affected by the fires, with payments made within 10 days after filling out a form. The support measures are to be approved at the Council of Ministers meeting.
Beatriz Vasconcelos and Maria Gouveia | 13:30 – 21/08/2025
“For the primary residences, we anticipate the following: the City Council will evaluate, together with a technician from the Regional Coordination and Development Commission [CCDR], the cost of repairing the building. Once that is determined, we will immediately advance 50% of the project value, allowing people to start rebuilding their homes promptly,” he assured.
In the briefing, the Prime Minister did not refer to the support announced by Castro Almeida.
Pact for Fires
The Prime Minister also expressed his desire to reach a consensus in the Assembly of the Republic on a pact for forest management and territory protection, acknowledging that “not everything went well” in the firefighting efforts.
The legislative instrument approved “can be activated by a simple resolution of the Council of Ministers and will have a temporal and geographical delimitation,” according to a proposal by the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection and the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests.
Continental Portugal has been affected by multiple large-scale rural fires since July, particularly in the North and Central regions.
The fires have resulted in three fatalities, including a firefighter, several injuries—some severe—and have completely or partially destroyed primary and secondary residences, as well as agricultural and livestock operations and forest areas.
The European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) estimated that 274,000 hectares have burned in Portugal this year.
