Portugal is experiencing its worst spate of wildfires in recent years. There have been several deaths, more than ten thousand hectares of pine and eucalyptus forest have been destroyed and thousands of firefighters have been deployed. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has declared a state of emergency for the worst-hit regions. Portuguese media examine causes, omissions and solutions.
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The state is also to blame
The prime minister should take long overdue political measures instead of threatening arsonists with harsh sentences, writes Público:
“Luís Montenegro’s harsh statements are a clear step backwards compared to the past and what had begun to emerge as a general consensus on the issue of forest fires. The main causes of the major fires are social, environmental and political, not legal or criminal. … What has existed for decades is an enormous political inability to solve three complex problems that are the responsibility of the state: the neglect of the country’s interior, the complete lack of control over the forests, and climate phenomena that lead to mega-fires that no one can fight.”
Prevention makes all the difference
Effective firefighting begins before the fires break out, Jornal de Notícias explains:
“Every time the country finds itself in a crisis, there is a great temptation to question the resources and call for more firefighters, tank trucks, helicopters and airplanes. As if you could apply the old football maxim that attack is the best defence. It’s clear that these capacities should not be neglected. But when it comes to preventing the destruction of our natural heritage (and by extension our homes, industries and lives), let there be no illusions: prevention is where the best chance of success lies, through the management of agroforestry areas and the education of citizens.”