23 years ago, on September 11, 2003, the Tapada Nacional de Mafra was devastated by one of the most severe fires in its history, which destroyed 570 of the 833 hectares (70%) of this forest area created in 1747 during the reign of King John V. The fire started around 3:30 PM, in the northern area of the Tapada, originating outside the walled perimeter, as part of a wave of wildfires that were devastating the country that summer and which were suspected to be, for the most part, of criminal origin.
For three days, the flames spread through several localities in the municipality, including Paz, Barreiralva, Gradil, Achada, Murgeira, A-da-Pedra and Venda do Pinheiro, surrounding 18 villages and threatening 39, including a nursing home. The flames came to within less than one kilometre of the National Palace of Mafra, destroying 12 homes and a total of approximately 5,000 hectares.
To combat the fire, 645 firefighters, 188 vehicles, 150 military personnel and GNR teams were mobilized, as well as four aerial resources. Suspicions of arson never resulted in identified perpetrators, although at the time clues were mentioned such as a cyclist seen descending from a location where firecrackers were heard and a light aircraft seen catching fire.
After the fire, a forest recovery plan was launched with an investment of 1.5 million euros, adopting the "mosaic forest" concept to reduce the risk of new fires. In 2004, a reforestation campaign in partnership with a private brand aimed to plant one million trees. The wildlife was returning, but the surviving she-wolf that was temporarily housed at the Zoo never returned. Today, the Tapada is managed by a public interest cooperative and, in 2019, the Royal Building of Mafra was classified as World Heritage by UNESCO.
