Revision of the Subregional Action Program for Rural Fire Management in public consultation until September 22, 2025
The draft revision of the "Lisbon Metropolitan Area Subregional Action Program", a programming instrument of the Integrated Rural Fire Management System, is under public consultation until September 22, 2025, according to Notice (extract) no. 20084/2025, published in Annex H of the 2nd Series of the Official Gazette no. 152/2025 of 2025-08-08.
The consultation aims to involve the community of the Lisbon metropolitan area in the process of improving this planning instrument.
The documents now subject to public consultation are as follows:
- Draft revision of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area Sub-Regional Action Program
- Annex with specific assumptions
- Map showing the secondary network of fuel management strips
- Map with network of water points
- Map of the forest road network
- Map of the fire detection and surveillance network
- Map with priority areas for prevention and security
- Map with strategic fuel management mosaic areas
These documents are also available for consultation at the headquarters of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (Rua Cruz de Santa Apolónia n.º 23, in Lisbon), every working day from 10h00 to 12h00 and from 14h30 to 16h30.
They can also be consulted on the websites of the municipal councils of Alcochete, Almada, Amadora, Barreiro, Cascais, Lisboa, Loures, Mafra, Moita, Montijo, Odivelas, Oeiras, Palmela, Seixal, Sesimbra, Setúbal, Sintra and Vila Franca de Xira.
Contributions should be sent to the metropolitan first secretary, Carlos Humberto de Carvalho, within 30 days of the publication of the notice, by email to the following address: amlcorreio@aml.pt.
AML joins the Sub-Regional Commission of the Integrated Rural Fire Management System of 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.
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 was published in the Diário da República on August 19, 2024, in the 2nd Series of the Diário da República, through Notice no. 17830/2024/2, available at this link
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.