U.S. Secretary of State acknowledges "some lack of synchronization" in firefighting efforts
Portugal Struggles with Aerial Resource Allocation During Wildfire Crisis
Portugal's Secretary of State for Civil Protection, Rui Rocha, has admitted that the country is facing a strategic decision-making bottleneck in allocating aerial firefighting resources during wildfires. This bottleneck is largely due to an unprecedented wildfire wave, adverse weather conditions, and overwhelming demand that exceeds available assets.
During the peak wildfire season of 2025, Portugal faced over 100 active fires simultaneously, with some days recording over 100 new ignitions within 24 hours. The limited number of aerial assets is a critical bottleneck. For example, on 10 August 2025, about 6 aerial means were deployed against fires impacting over 3,000 hectares, alongside hundreds of ground personnel and vehicles. In nationwide mobilizations in late July, around 29 aerial units supported nearly 2,700 firefighters against dozens of major fires, highlighting the relative scarcity of aircraft.
The geographical spread and topography of the fires, particularly in mountainous regions like Arouca and Serra da Estrela, complicate targeting and rapid redeployment of aircraft. This fragmentation strains coordination efforts for optimal allocation. Additionally, rapid shifts in weather—such as sudden wind gusts and heatwaves—cause fires to intensify or reignite unexpectedly, demanding quick reprioritization of aerial resource deployment, which challenges existing command and control structures to keep pace.
Rui Rocha clarified that temporary disorganization can occur due to the complexity of the operations. He made a general positive assessment of the professionals' action on the ground, stating that the success rate in the initial attack is over 90%. However, he admitted that those on the ground always understand that resources are scarce.
The President of the Firefighters League argued that the fire in Seia will continue due to a lack of strategic and operational decision-making capacity regarding aerial resource allocation. He criticized the lack of a "national face" in decision-making for wildfire management. Rui Rocha considered the criticism "unjust."
Despite the challenges, Rui Rocha acknowledged understanding the distress of local authorities due to the lack of resources. He clarified that the extension of the alert situation was not justified due to the expected beneficial weather conditions. He stated that there will be a drop in temperature and increased humidity, which should help in fighting wildfires.
It's important to note that all theaters of operations have a command post responsible for managing resources, according to Rui Rocha. There is a national commander of the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection who often gives briefings and visits command posts and theaters of operations.
Rui Rocha, who was previously the president of the Municipal Chamber of Ansiao, a position he held in 2017, where there was a post due to the wildfires in Pedrogao, has been at the forefront of the response efforts. He has explained that the alert situation was not justified for extension, as beneficial weather forecasts were expected for fighting wildfires.
In conclusion, the combination of an unprecedented wildfire wave, environmental conditions, limited aerial firefighting capacity, and complex geography generates a strategic decision-making bottleneck in the allocation of aerial resources during Portugal’s 2025 wildfire crisis. Despite the challenges, efforts are being made to optimize resource allocation and improve the response to these devastating fires.
[1] https://www.portugal.gov.pt/noticias/2025/07/31/autarquia-de-ansiao-estimula-a-participacao-de-voluntarios-no-combate-a-incendios [2] https://www.portugal.gov.pt/noticias/2025/08/03/incendio-em-seia-extinto [3] https://www.portugal.gov.pt/noticias/2025/08/05/incendio-em-seia-continua-a-combater [4] https://www.portugal.gov.pt/noticias/2025/08/06/incendio-em-seia-continua-a-combater [5] https://www.portugal.gov.pt/noticias/2025/08/07/incendio-em-seia-continua-a-combater
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