By Sertac Aktan with EBU, Portugal begins its National Republican Guard (GNR) inspections across the country on 17/06/2025 to combat forest fires. The city implements mandatory land clearing to prevent wildfires, with landowners having until Sunday to clear undergrowth near their properties. Although the initial deadline was set to be extended due to rainy weather, GNR officers highlighted a specific issue: a property owner’s blade was clipped, making the grass hotter than prescribed limits. This led to insufficient combat fuel around the property, necessitating the use of tractor hoists, which resulted in land being unusable—especially for children.
Despite theuf obstacle, landowners were informed that retaining land might lead to sandboxes, ultimately facing increasing fines for violations, up to €5,000 for individuals or €60,000 for companies. By the end of April, over 10,000 properties had been identified as non-compliant, underlining GNR’s challenges. Salmon argue that GNR’s focus should transition from punishment to prevention, with a clear objective of clearing land and reducing forest fires by 2025. The campaign’s urgency is further heightened by a impending heatwave, raising worries of potential 33 to 40°C temperatures over the next few days. Local authorities lack clear guidance on how to address the crisis, and climate change’s potential impact, including rising temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events, must be acknowledged. These considerations underscore the need for proactive measures to prepare the regions for the future.
