The environmental association Zero has warned that rural fires in 2025 have already destroyed 98% of the total land area projected to burn throughout the entire 2020-2030 decade. While operational responses have improved, 2025 was the fourth worst year for burnt area since 2001, with 271,000 hectares lost. Zero criticized the Integrated Fire Management Agency (Agência para a Gestão Integrada de Fogos Rurais or AGIF) for a lack of leadership and failure to implement necessary preventive measures.
Wildfires consume nearly all land projected for 2030
Tuesday, 14 July 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
Zero is a Portuguese environmental NGO that tracks energy use, emissions and climate policy; in 2025 it reported electricity consumption reached 53.1 TWh and that increased reliance on gas raised CO2 emissions by about one million tonnes. Its analyses shape public debate and policy on the energy mix, which influences electricity costs, climate targets and regulatory changes that affect households and businesses.
The Agency for Integrated Rural Fire Management (Agência para a Gestão Integrada de Fogos Rurais or AGIF) is a public body created in 2018 to coordinate fire prevention and suppression strategies across Portugal. It works to reduce the risk of large-scale wildfires by managing land use and improving inter-agency cooperation.
4 sources
- Zero warns that Portugal has already used up 98% of the burnt area projected for 2030dn.pt ·
- Portugal has already burned 98% of the limit projected for 2030 - and the 2030 targets are becoming increasingly distantZERO - Associação Sistema Terrestre Sustentável ·
- Wildfires destroyed 98% of the area projected to burn by 2030 in just five yearscnnportugal.iol.pt ·
- Fires destroyed in five years the area projected until 2030observador.pt ·
