Portugal Boosts Firefighter Pay by 25% During Critical Wildfire Season

Government Announces Salary Increase for Frontline Firefighters

The Minister of Internal Administration announced on Thursday that firefighters from the Special Rural Firefighting Device (DECIR) for 2025 who were on the front lines will receive a 25% increase in their daily pay.

Caption: Approximately 250,000 hectares have burned, with over 57,000 hectares from the fire that started in Arganil. Photo: Miguel Pereira da Silva / EPA

Details of the Pay Raise

"By a resolution of the council of ministers, it was decided that all firefighters who fought on the front lines in the most affected areas from July 26 to August 27 will have a 25% increase in their daily wage, which will extend for an additional 15 days," said Maria Lúcia Amaral in the municipality of Lousã, Coimbra district.

The minister, who visited the Serpins Volunteer Firefighters this morning, also emphasized the government's commitment to defining a professional status for operational staff with permanent work contracts with local humanitarian associations.

According to the minister, who publicly thanked Portuguese firefighters, the "rigorous and fair" definition of their professional status "will be a concern of the government in the coming months."

Aftermath of the Wildfires

After the fires that ravaged Portugal in July and August, consuming over 250,000 hectares of forest, Maria Lúcia Amaral stated that it is time to "rebuild, set goals, seriously look at the problems, and immediately help rebuild the lives of those who were deeply affected."

To journalists, the minister admitted that with "this scale of catastrophe," not everything went well in the response to the fires, but stressed that now "it is time to understand what happened and evaluate."

The Minister of Internal Administration rejected that the civil protection system collapsed, considering that "the country responded," although a critical analysis of its functioning is "on the table."

The municipality of Lousã was affected by a major fire that started on the 14th, spreading to neighboring municipalities and consuming 3,500 hectares in the Serra da Lousã.

Mainland Portugal has been affected by multiple large rural fires since July, especially in the North and Central regions.

The fires caused four deaths, including one firefighter, and several injuries, some serious, and destroyed or partially damaged primary and secondary homes, as well as agricultural and livestock farms and forest areas.

According to provisional official data, as of August 23, about 250,000 hectares had burned in the country, with over 57,000 hectares from the fire that started in Arganil alone.