Civil Protection

Preventing and mitigating collective risks in the region

Preventing and mitigating collective risks and the occurrence of serious accidents or disasters in the region, limiting their effects on people and other living beings in danger, and protecting cultural and environmental assets and values are the main objectives behind the coordinated work carried out in this area, which is regional in scope.

The articulation work is justified by the region's own history, which is associated with various records of natural and seismic phenomena that, with greater or lesser impact, have caused damage and severe consequences, leaving their mark on the collective memory of the Portuguese.

Special Emergency Plan for Seismic Risk

The Special Emergency Plan for Seismic Risk in the Lisbon metropolitan area and neighboring municipalities is an instrument to support the civil protection system in operational management in the event of a seismic event in the region.

The Plan is classified as special, in terms of its purpose, and as supradistrict, in terms of the geographical area it covers. 

The director of the plan is the Secretary of State for Civil Protection, who will be replaced in his absence or impediment by the president of the National Civil Protection Authority or, if he is unable to do so, by whomever the Prime Minister appoints. 

The plan sets out the responsibilities, organization and operating concept of the civil protection structures, and the way in which the means and resources needed to manage the rescue are mobilized and coordinated.

The plan is complemented by a Self-Protection and Resilience Program, which is designed to anticipate the responses of local communities and society as a whole to the consequences of a high-severity seismic event. 

Sub-Regional Commission of the Integrated Rural Fire Management System

AML is a member of the Sub-Regional Commission of the Integrated Rural Fire Management System for the Lisbon metropolitan area.

The sub-regional commissions for the integrated management of rural fires work with the respective inter-municipal entities, which chair the deliberative meetings and provide the necessary logistical support. 

Their main competencies are to define the coordination of action between public and private entities in terms of integrated rural fire management in their sub-region, approve the sub-regional action program, submit the proposed sub-regional action program to the respective regional commission, monitor and evaluate the implementation of the sub-regional action program, promote, follow up and monitor the development of the actions of the municipal programs, promote compliance with the communication programs and give an opinion on the municipal programs.

The Integrated Rural Fire Management System is based on two fundamental pillars for reducing the impact of rural fires: rural fire management and rural fire protection.

The system, which has forest conservation and management as a necessary condition for its success, includes planning, prevention, preparation, pre-suppression, suppression and rescue, and post-event actions.

The Integrated Rural Fire Management System operates at four territorial levels: national, regional, sub-regional and municipal. The system is governed by integrated rural fire management committees, responsible for each of the territorial levels.

Sub-regional Action Program for the Integrated Management of Rural Fires in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area

The "Lisbon Metropolitan Area Subregional Action Program" is a programming instrument for the Integrated Rural Fire Management System, approved on 19/04/2024 by the respective Subregional Commission, following public consultation.

It is expected to be published in the Official Gazette on August 14, 2024 (soon here)

Content:

1) Lisbon Metropolitan Area sub-regional action program (better read the table on page 77 here);
2) Annexes with the specific assumptions;
3) Maps:
a) Secondary network of fuel management strips - 1 and 2;
b) Network of water points;
c) Forest road network;
d) Fire surveillance and detection network;
e) Priority prevention and safety areas;
f) Strategic fuel mosaic areas.

The Sub-regional Action Program for the Integrated Management of Rural Fires in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area was subject to the opinion of the Regional Commission for the Integrated Management of Rural Fires.

This action program defines seven priority areas for intervention and prevention, includes various targets and twelve key projects for the region.

The seven priority prevention and safety areas are located as follows: Sintra Cascais Natural Park, Serra da Carregueira, Arrábida Natural Park, Costa de Caparica National Forest and Amieira Forest FP, Mafra National Hunting Grounds and surrounding area, Machada National Forest and Fernão Ferro and Apostiça forest area.

These areas, which are based on the rural fire danger map produced by the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests, correspond to the "high" and "very high" danger classes, are subject to special protection measures, and make up a total of 12,569 hectares, out of around 49,000 hectares with effective fuel management throughout the region.

The construction of the program has involved two years of collaborative work between the eighteen municipalities of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and around 20 other entities, and includes an investment of approximately 318 million euros for the period 2023-2030, with around 91% of this money being allocated to key projects (approximately 78% of which relates to fuel management, which is one of the key projects).

The Program also establishes the link between the higher-level planning instruments - the national and regional programs and the subsidiary instruments - and the planned municipal implementation programs, which will replace the current municipal forest fire protection plans.

In addition to the AML website, these documents are available for consultation at the headquarters of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (Rua Cruz de Santa Apolónia n.º 23, 25 and 25A, Lisbon), every working day, from 10h00 to 12h00 and from 14h30 to 16h30.