Portugal cites success against wildfires: No deaths in 2018

LISBON, Portugal – Portugal’s government says its measures to fight wildfires have paid off, with fewer blazes, a smaller charred area and no fatalities this year after catastrophic wildfires killed 106 people in 2017.

The government said Thursday that in comparison with the average of the previous decade, the number of wildfires in 2018 is 43 per cent lower and the burned area is 69 per cent less.

However, this year has not witnessed the extreme weather conditions or severe drought that made 2017 so exceptional and contributed to the unprecedented 106 deaths in wildfires.

The government said its 2018 firefighting measures included clearing 2,500 hectares (6,170 acres) of woodland and creating more than 2,350 kilometres (1,400 miles) of firebreaks. They also increased number of firefighters by 11 per cent over 2017.