The number of rural fires and the area burned by them between January and July this year are the lowest in a decade, the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF) reports. From January 1 to July 31, there were 2,820 rural fires in the country, destroying about 4,500 hectares of forest and bush. Compared to the history of the last ten years, there were 58 percent fewer fires and 87 percent fewer areas of fires. Until the last day of July, this year has seen the lowest number of fires and the lowest area of burned land. Despite this, there are still many fires, but the first intervention is fast and effective, to the point that fires are extinguished within the first hour of fighting. This year, only five incidents have been classified as “major fires”, all of them in parts of Alentejo. Porto, Viana do Castelo and Braga are the areas with the most fires. Beja is the city with the most burnt area.