This year, the resources allocated for combating rural fires will see a slight increase compared to 2025, with 15,064 personnel and 76 aircraft expected to be deployed during the critical months.
Rural Fires: Over 15,000 Personnel and 76 Aerial Resources Expected This Year
Friday, 27 February 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
Civil Protection (Proteção Civil) is Portugal's national system for preventing, preparing for, and responding to disasters and emergencies — from wildfires and floods to earthquakes and storms.
The system is coordinated by the ANEPC (Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil), which issues warnings, activates response plans, and coordinates firefighters, police, military, and municipal services. During major events, the ANEPC can activate the SIOPS (Sistema Integrado de Operações de Proteção e Socorro), a unified command structure for managing multi-agency responses.
Portugal's Civil Protection framework operates at three levels — national, district, and municipal — each maintaining its own emergency plans. The system has been under ongoing reform, with emergency associations pushing for clearer single-command structures to reduce confusion between responders during major incidents.
During weather emergencies, Proteção Civil issues safety advisories, may close roads and access routes, and coordinates rescue operations. Residents should follow official ANEPC guidance and call 112 for emergencies.
Portugal plans more than 15,000 operatives and 76 aerial resources for this year, reflecting a seasonal surge in crews and aircraft for wildfire response. That fleet is smaller than those of larger EU countries, and Portugal relies heavily on volunteer firefighters and international mutual aid in major seasons, so people in high-risk areas should follow local alerts and evacuation instructions.
AI Summary Available15,000+ personnel and 76 aircraft plannedRead the synthesized summary with context and explainers
View full article on rtp.pt
