During the 'Charlie' phase of fire fighting, which runs to 30 September, a total of 2,234 operational teams from the various forces involved will be involved, composed of 9,721 men and women and 2,050 vehicles, as well as 236 watch-towers run by the GNR national guard.


The authorities' plans on paper also include 49 aircraft, but the current phase opens with just 45 of these available, since four out of the five Kamov helicopters are currently not operational. Two are expected to be repaired during July, but the other two may not be usable at all this year.


The same amount as last year, €80 million, has been set aside for the fire-fighting effort.


The latest provisional report from the Institute of Nature Conservation and Forests shows that the area burned from 1 January to 15 June this year more than doubled from the same period of last year, as did the number of incidents.


According to the civil defence authority, between 15 May and 30 June, the 'Bravo' phase of the fire-fighting effort, there were 3,355 fires reported in Portugal's forests - the highest number in 12 years.