Report Institute of Nature and Forest Conservation (ICNF) reveals that the area burned in mainland Portugal, between 1 January and July 15, 2025, tripled against the same period of 2024.
From the beginning of the year and until July 1510,768 hectares of forest in Portugal, according to . This number is three times higher than the same period in the same period in 2024, a semester where 3,462 hectares burned.
The ICNF report, published on July 18, realizes that there was a total of 3,370 rural fires until the 15th of this month, that resulted in 10,768 hectares of burned areabetween Settlements (3,762), Mato (4,736) and Agriculture (2,271).
Given the last 10 years, in 2025 they have registered “less 36% of rural fires and 46% of burned area for the annual average “of the period concerned.
Until the 15th, this was “o 4th lower value in number of fires and the 5.º Highest value of burned areasince 2015 “. However, despite this reduction, the institute points out that these have been more aggressivewith more half to be considered large, that is, with Burned area greater than 100 hectares.
According to the report, registered 22 large fires, what It resulted in 6,112 hectares of burned area, about 57% of the total burned area.
As for the causes, they were investigated (with completed investigation process) 2,374 rural fires, of the total 3,370 that occurred, and as more frequent causes in 2025 are fires caused by incendays (24%)extensive burning of forest or agricultural surveillas (13%) EQUEIMAS OF FOLLOWN OR AGRICULTURAL SURFORTES (11%).
Judicial Police detained 26 Forest Fire Suspects
According to advanced information this Thursday by (DN), a Judicial Police (PJ) has so far detained 26 suspects of Forest fire, and these arrests say only respect only to cases of criminal conduct.
In comparison, in the same period of fires in 2024, 20 were arrested, which represents an increase in arrests.
