According to the latest report from the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), referring to the period from January 1 to August 31, the area burned this year in Portugal is the fifth highest of the decade, with 67,130 hectares burned in 6,910 rural fires. However, this value represents a decrease of about 73% compared to the same period in 2025, when 187,046 fewer hectares burned, although 434 more fires broke out, an increase of 6.7%.
The document indicates that, compared to the 10-year average, there were 15% fewer rural fires and 25% fewer burned area. The main causes of the investigated fires are burnings, responsible for about one-third of the cases, followed by arson at 19% and reignitions at 9%. Of the 6,910 fires recorded, 6,024 have already been investigated.
By August 31, there were 68 large fires, with burned area equal to or greater than 100 hectares, which resulted in 55,370 hectares burned, representing about 82% of the total. The largest fires of the year were in Vouzela, in Viseu, with 12,804 hectares consumed, and in Valpaços, in Vila Real, with 11,619 hectares. July was the most critical month, with 1,571 fires and 37,119 hectares burned.
The districts most affected in burned area were Vila Real with 16,794 hectares, Bragança with 13,084 hectares, and Viseu with 8,526 hectares. In contrast, the districts with the highest number of fires were Porto with 1,088, Braga with 668, and Vila Real with 630, although these were predominantly small-scale.
