Coimbra, Portugal, Sept. 8, 2025 (Lusa) - The ‘Portugal Sem Chamas’ movement, set up to support the victims of this summer's wildfires, has launched a campaign to encourage tourism and support the local economy in the affected areas, entitled “Don't leave the interior regions to the flies”.
Through a platform it has just created, the movement aims to "encourage local tourism as a force for economic revitalisation in the most affected areas" through this initiative, which channels efforts "to support small businesses dependent on the flow of tourism, promoting the recovery of communities and the preservation of regional identity".
"Portugal Sem Chamas (without flames) thus reinforces its commitment to promoting a sustainable, authentic and supportive recovery, joining forces so that the country can be reborn stronger and more united," the group of volunteers emphasised in a statement.
Ricardo Paiágua, the platform's creator and leader, emphasised that "from the experience of supporting the victims of the fires, the movement is now evolving into an action focused on enhancing authentic tourism and promoting gastronomy that represents the country's roots".
"This new front was born out of a conversation between Inês Patrício, a lawyer, traveller and defender of the interior, and Tiago David Antunes, an agronomist, cook and creator of the Sr. Cozinheiro (Mr Cook) project, who share our vision that Portuguese gastronomy and the Portuguese dinner table can be an engine for economic and cultural recovery," he explained.
The Portugal Sem Chamas movement has created a new area on its platform aimed at giving visibility to restaurants, accommodation, producers and tourist activities that have been left without customers due to the destruction of their regions.
This initiative allows establishments to register for free, gaining prominence with domestic and foreign tourists, helping to support families and regenerate economically weakened communities.
"When we consume endogenous products, we are helping the engine of a region to run, investing in its authenticity and quality. Exploring the interior of the country is also a way of discovering our roots and ensuring their long-term health," argued chef Tiago David Antunes.
Calling on the Portuguese to take holidays and getaways within the country, Inês Patrício considered that supporting local tourism "is a way of restoring hope and dignity to the families that continue to resist after the fires".
The movement also argued for the need for conscientious reforestation of Portuguese forests and announced that its volunteers would be taking part in two reforestation initiatives between Friday and Sunday in the Serra da Lousã, in Aigra Nova, in the district of Góis, inland from the district of Coimbra.
The municipality of Lousã was affected by a large fire, which started on the 14th August, spread to the neighbouring area of Góis and consumed 3,500 hectares in the Serra da Lousã.
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