Santarem, Castelo Branco, Braga, Coimbra and Aveiro are the areas where the highest number of non-compliance with forest clearance requirements was recorded between 2019 and 2023, the Republican National Guard (NGR) said on Wednesday.
The police statement said that between 2019 and 2023, the districts where there were “the highest number of violations of fuel regulations on forest land” were Santarem, Castelo Branco, Braga, Coimbra and Aveiro.
Among the “districts where there was a lower level of non-compliance with fuel management regulations on forest lands during the same period, the districts of Évora, Bragança, Portalegre, Viana do Castelo and Beja stand out,” the GNR added.
“From 2019 to April 14, 2024, 4,831 people were identified and 404 suspects were arrested as a result of wildfires,” the note said.
GNR believes that after identifying the causes of fires, “the use of fire is of greatest concern” and, taking into account that “burnings and fires alone are responsible for more than 35% of fires in recent years”, all they must do is “make efforts to reduce fuel consumption could be achieved using other alternative methods” such as “soil application and biomass production, thereby reducing the risk of incidents.”
The GNR considered its strategic priority to be the protection of people and property in the context of rural fires, “supported by preventive action and increased patrols in forested areas.”
As part of the Integrated Fire Management Framework (SGIFR), the police use military personnel and foresters from the Service for Nature and Environment (SEPNA) and the Emergency Protection and Assistance Unit (UEPS).
In this sense, between 2019 and 2023, GNR recorded “35,097 outreach activities, reaching 428,389 people,” the note said.
As for administrative violations, from 2019 to 2023, the State People’s Republic recorded 19.6 thousand incidents due to non-clearing of forest lands, 3,419 fires and 1,359 fires, while this year the inspection of land clearing begins only on May 1 and 28 fires have already been eliminated. 11 fires were also discovered.
As a result of outreach efforts leading to an investigation into the causes of the bushfires, the GNR noted that, in light of some behavioral changes among parts of the general population, 2023 “reflected the lowest number of fires.” (less than 46% of rural fires) and the third largest area of fires (72% less).
Regarding “casualties directly related to the fires,” the statement said that “2023 was also a unique year with zero fatalities, reflecting one of the ultimate goals of the system, which is the safety and security of human lives.”
“The downward trend in the number of victims in 2017 proves the greater awareness of the Portuguese people about the problem of fires,” he emphasized.
The GNR stressed that “combustion and combustion are the main causes of fires in Portugal” and that “the deadline for fuel management activities is 30 April.”
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.