If you own a house in the country or near a forest you are more vulnerable to fires. Eucalyptus trees are extremely flammable so please check for this at house viewings and also check if you are in a high risk area. There were devastating fires in June 2017 and their were many fatalities. When we viewed houses in Oct 2019 we viewed a few houses in Pedrógão Grande and the devastation was still present a couple of years on.

Contact your local Câmara if you are unsure of the rules of burning debris especially within the critical fire period as you may need prior formal approval or a permit in some cases. You will be asked questions such as date of fire, location, time and the items you are wanting to burn so they know when controlled burning is taking place.

http://safecommunitiesportugal.com/forest-fires/

Update

As part of the extension of the state of emergency decreed by the president of Portugal, the deadline for owners to clear land that ended on 15th March has now been extended to 30th April 2020. The range is 50 metres around buildings or facilities located in rural or forestry areas. This date was extended again due to Covid-19.

Forest Fires June 2020

As I am typing this there are currently forest fires in the South (Algarve area), many have been evacuated and lost their homes and animals are missing. There are currently some Go fund me and Get funded campaigns to support victims. Please download the following app which is great:

https://www.fogos.pt/

Please get this app