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The National Republican Security Force (GNR), a Portuguese police, began nationwide inspections on Monday after the deadline for land clearings, which is mandatory to prevent wildfires.
Landowners were required to clear undergrowth near the facility until Sunday. On the ground, GNR officers explained certain regulations on property owners.
Officials of the GNR Environmental Protection Force in Colce, Felisardo, pointed out the violation. “In this case, the grass was a little taller than the prescribed limits, and therefore fuel management should have been carried out within 50 meters around the building to comply with established regulations.”
For some landowners, the rainy weather that led to expansion caused its own problems. The landowner was asked if she knew she had to clean up the land.
“Yes, we know, but sometimes things don’t happen the way we want them to. It was raining a lot. My son was supposed to plow the land before he went to the fields, but the soil couldn’t support the tractor’s weight and it got stuck, so he had to leave it like that.”
Those who fail to comply are now facing considerable fines, with individuals able to reach up to 5,000 euros and 60,000 euros for businesses. By the end of April, authorities had already identified more than 10,000 potentially non-compliant properties.
Education is not a punishment, but a focus
Despite the threat of penalties, Coruche’s GNR commander Mateus has stated that the immediate focus is not on punishment but on education.
“At this point, and despite the law allowing us to perform tests and fines, our approach is always focused on prevention,” he said, adding that the ultimate goal is clear.
The urgency of the campaign is becoming more important due to the impending heat wave. All districts on mainland Portugal are already under yellow weather warnings and are projected to fluctuate between 33 and 40 degrees Celsius in the coming days.
