The government strengthens the campaign to prevent rural fires by 750 thousand euros

The government will strengthen the rural fire prevention campaign “Portugal Chama 2024” with 750 thousand euros mobilized through the Environmental Fund, the Ministry of Environment and Energy announced this Wednesday.

According to the published note, the money is intended to guarantee the dissemination on television, radio and in the printed press of a set of advertisements for the “Portugal Chama” campaign, with the aim of raising public awareness of the phenomenon of rural fires, which recur every year and with particular intensity in the summer.

“The themes of this advert are fires and fires, risky behavior and the use of machinery and equipment,” it said in a statement, calling for behavior change and the adoption of best practice.

Dissemination efforts are carried out through the Institute for Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF) and developed by the Agency for Integrated Fire Management (AGIF), which defines the prevention communication strategy.

“Rural fires have a serious impact on the environment. Prevention at the heart of this campaign aims to protect ecosystems, biodiversity and air quality, which could be seriously affected by events like those in Portugal,” says Environment and Energy Minister Maria da Graça. Carvalho.

The minister also emphasized “the importance of a strategy that protects lives, property and the environment”, thereby helping to reduce the number and impact of rural fires in the country.

The Portugal Chama strategy is based on two aspects: the protection of people, goods and infrastructure, which is under the auspices of the National Emergency Management and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC); and forest management, which is the responsibility of the ICNF.

The prevention media campaign covers both areas.