Miguel Pereira da Silva / LUSA
A firefighter fights flames during a fire
An OECD report points out flaws in the sanctions due to the lack of land cleaning and communication problems between the various entities.
Nine years after the 2017 fires, which caused more than a hundred fatalities, the reform of the rural fire management system in Portugal remains far from complete.
According to Correio da Manhã, the alert was launched by experts from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in a report published at the end of April, which identifies persistent failures in the prevention, coordination and response to fires.
According to the document, the fires recorded in the last two summers highlighted “several deficiencies” that remain unresolved. Among the main problems highlighted is the difficulty of the State in enforcing legislation relating to land clearing and management. The OECD reports that many owners choose to pay fines instead of complying with legal obligations, as the sanctions are considered not severe.
Experts also highlight failures in operational coordination during larger fires. As an example, they cite the fire that hit Caranguejeira, in the municipality of Leiria, in August 2025, where fires were recorded communication problems between different forces involved in fighting the flames. The Civil Protection territorial model is also criticized for maintaining district structures that do not coincide with the current administrative sub-regions.
The report also expresses concerns about changes introduced by the current Government. The transfer of forest management to the Ministry of Agriculture and the creation of its own intervention plan could, according to the OECD, fragment responsibilities between prevention, forest management and civil protection. Experts warn that these changes risk delaying ongoing reforms and reinforcing existing practices, especially at the local level.
The assessment also reveals that, as of September 2024, only half of the corrective measures identified in the previous year had been implemented, despite their potential to strengthen fire response capacity. The public entities responsible for the delays also do not face any penalties.
Despite criticism, the OECD recognizes some progress and advocates a clarification of the roles and responsibilities of the various entities involved, as well as a strengthening of coordination on the ground.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Internal Affairs admits that next summer could be “very hard and very difficult”, especially in the areas most affected by the storms at the beginning of the year.
