Lisbon, July 30, 2025 (Lusa) - The Portuguese secretary of state for civil protection said on Wednesday that the government is doing everything necessary to ensure the availability of 76 firefighting aircraft, insisting that their contribution to extinguishing fires depends on the characteristics of the fires.
“We are taking all necessary steps to ensure the availability of the 76 aircraft that are planned,” said Rui Rocha, after a meeting with the executive council of the Portuguese Firefighters League (LBP) at the association’s headquarters in Lisbon.
The government minister added that, as of 1 August, 72 aircraft will be available, after the Portuguese Air Force resorted to a direct award to contract two aircraft and thus circumvent a tender for five that had failed to attract any bids.
Considering that the interior minister, Maria Lúcia Amaral, was misinterpreted on Tuesday when she said that the number of aircraft available was irrelevant, Rui Rocha reiterated that their effectiveness depends on the characteristics of the fires in progress.
“Air resources are essential, as is evident. If this were not the case, no one would understand why we have so many air resources. What the minister emphasised yesterday (...) is that, in certain theatres of operations, air resources make an important contribution, but they do not solve all circumstances,” he maintained.
The president of the Firefighters League corroborated that "there are theatres of operations where it is not worth it" for the authorities to resort to aerial resources, because they do not solve anything.
“Aircraft are just a way of reassuring the public, because they see an aircraft and think that (...) they are better protected. This is not true,” argued António Nunes, pointing out that fires today are “highly dynamic, completely different from 10 years ago”, and faster and more destructive.
“Just as important as aerial resources, and something that is rarely mentioned, are bulldozers. Bulldozers, organised with aerial and ground resources, are essential tools. We are able to advance, for example, towards the fire fronts,” he said.
The president of the Firefighters League therefore proposes a joint firefighting strategy, drawn up by firefighters, as well as the ability to inform local authorities and the public about the resources that will be used in each fire, why and at what stage of the fire's progression.
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