Deadline for Land Cleaning Ends Today, Landowners Risk Fines for Non-Compliance

Deadline to clean forest land ends today and non-compliant landowners risk fines. The deadline for the cleaning of forest land ends today, and non-compliant landowners risk fines of up to 5,000 euros for individuals and up to 25,000 euros for legal entities. From 30 April, municipal councils may replace landowners in cleaning areas, who are required to allow access to their land and pay expenses to the council. The National Federation of Forest Owners Associations (FNAPF) called for an extension of the deadline for land cleaning from 30 April to mid-May. The federation said works have been hampered by dry weather and fire risk alerts. Several municipalities affected by fires in recent years said it was more difficult to meet the deadline because of rising prices for this kind of work, lack of labour, and lack of cadastre for identifying landowners.

There was no government decision to extend this deadline, and Secretary of State for Nature Conservation and Forests, Joao Paulo Catarino, made a “positive assessment” of the effort that public and private entities have made in the cleaning of rural land and forests to prevent rural fires. In this context, the National Republican Guard (GNR) starts the inspection phase of forest cleaning work on 1 May, counting on the identification of almost 14,000 locations at risk of non-compliance with mandatory land cleaning. Non-compliance with duties concerning fuel management, that is, reducing vegetation and woody material to make it difficult for fire to spread through cutting grass, shrubs, and trees in some areas, is punishable with severe contravention. Fines range between 500 euros and 5,000 euros for individuals and 2,500 euros and 25,000 euros for legal entities.

In response to Lusa’s agency, the GNR revealed that, under the “Safe Forest 2023” campaign, 13,949 locations at risk of non-compliance with mandatory land cleaning have been identified as of 9 April, aiming to minimise fire risks in priority zones, which, according to law, must be done by 30 April. This year’s number is higher than in 2022, where 10,989 risk locations were identified. In the same period this year, the GNR recorded 16 fines for burning and 58 for unauthorised waste burning, compared with a total of 362 and 123 respectively in 2022. This year, 34 people have already been arrested for forest fires, while 72 were arrested throughout last year. With regards to fines, in 2022, 4,359 fines were given for non-compliance with forest land cleaning.

In March of this year, a list of 998 priority parishes was published, which should take precedence in enforcing the law. Landowners are required to manage fuel (vegetation cleaning) within a width of not less than 50 meters around rural buildings, and in the case of population centres, campsites and industrial zones, this protection area extends to 100 meters. Within the scope of rural fires, the GNR emphasised that the protection of people and property is one of its strategic priorities, based on prevention and increased patrolling of forest areas.

“Considering that most fire incidents stem from negligent use of fire, the GNR recommends that alternative methods to waste burning (such as shredding and soil incorporation) be utilised for fire risk reduction in agro-forestry activities,” the guard said. The SOS Environment and Territory Line (808 200 520), of the Protection of Nature and Environment Service (SEPNA) of the GNR, operates continuously for denouncing infractions or clarifying doubts.