As if all the problems the country was facing weren't enough, the fire ravaged nearly 500 hectares, becoming one of the largest wildfires in Portugal in the last two decades. We watched helplessly as the country was engulfed in disaster across all media outlets. People were losing their lives, their homes, their land, and the animals that sustained them. What went wrong that prevented this disaster? Why weren't measures taken despite the forecast of high temperatures? Why did the government take so long to declare Portugal a disaster zone? Why was there no coordination with the firefighters?
The causes of fires can be natural, representing 1%; unknown causes account for 26,9%, and negligence accounts for 39%. Negligence continues to be the cause of most fires in Portugal, but the percentage of intentional fires is growing (33,1%), and this is where the investigation by the Judicial Police comes in, leading to the arrest of more than 72 suspected arsonists. Who benefits from these deliberately set fires? Primarily the timber industry, as they can buy burnt wood at a low price. However, this is a well-known fact, and only this year has it been challenged more radically, given the characteristics and scale of the wave of fires.
The catastrophe would have been less severe, or at least prevented, if the government hadn't cut the nearly €4 million budget allocated to forest fire prevention. The problem lies in the lack of integrated forest planning and management, as well as a shortage of qualified prevention personnel.
Initially, the government blamed the high temperatures for the fires, when in reality, the real issue was declaring the entire Portuguese territory a disaster zone as an emergency measure, since that would have meant paying compensation to all those affected. This measure was taken after it was confirmed that 15 of Portugal's 18 provinces were ablaze.
The lack of coordination among firefighters in the burned areas was another serious shortcoming in fighting the fire. It became necessary to call in the armed forces due to a lack of resources, and of the 70 active Portuguese military personnel, only 710 assisted.
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