Lisbon, June 25, 2025 (Lusa) - The state spent a total of €638 million on the rural firefighting system last year, the highest amount since 2018, when the state introduced changes and prioritised prevention, according to a report released on Wednesday.
The Agency for the Integrated Management of Rural Fires (AGIF) highlights in its 2024 report that last year was the year “in which the agency spent the most money on the system, with a total of €638 million, €155 million more than in 2023, of which €308 million came from the State Budget (48%), We largely attribute this to the increase in prevention (€92 million).”
The report highlights that 2024 was “the year of greatest investment” in the Integrated Rural Fire Management System (SGIFR) after the 2017 fires, with expenditure 4.5 times higher than in 2017.
AGIF specifies that prevention also received support from the Strategic Plan for the Common Agricultural Policy (PEPAC) and the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).
“In financial terms, the structural change that has taken place is also reflected in the evolution of expenditure since 2018, with a complete paradigm shift, with priority given to prevention: €354 million in 2024 vs €28 million in 2017, which ultimately represents an increase in relative weight from 20% in 2017 to 55% in 2024,” highlights the report delivered today to parliament and the government.
However, according to AGIF, last year also saw a €63 million increase in funding for firefighting, focused on building up in-house capacity, leasing aircraft and financing firefighters.
The document reveals that the Air Force operates an air fleet valued at €128 million in 2024, 31% higher than in 2023, accounting for 18% of the total system, reflecting the reinforcement that has occurred since 2017.
According to the report, the largest share of this expenditure, €78 million, relates to the acquisition of leasing, operation and maintenance services for the equipment, paid for through the State Budget (OE), with the remaining €50 million representing the reinforcement of the State’s permanent air resources, financed mainly by RescEU (European civil protection mechanism) and PRR.
The National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) reports that the State Budget mainly supports expenditure; this expenditure represents 16% of SGIFR expenditure, amounting to 103 million euros, an increase of 38% (or an additional €28 million) compared to 2023.
According to the report, ANEPC primarily drives this increase in expenditure through the purchase of vehicles and equipment for firefighters (+21 million euros), with the PRR covering most of the cost. The increase in expenditure associated with DECIR (another €10 million) is also covered by the State Budget.
The participation of the GNR in the different phases of the SGIFR in 2024 also represented an increase of €15 million, supported by the State Budget.
In the document, AGIF recommends that this growing financial availability would yield better results “if there were integrated coordination between the various funds and the State Budget,” also advocating for closer management capacity to the population and simplified access. This model has been tried before.
CMP/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
