On October 30th, a ceremony took place in the Salão Nobre of the Paços do concelho in Póvoa de Varzim for the handover of 13 fuel management equipment units. The event included the signing of protocols and institutional speeches, marking a significant step in municipalities' capacity for rural fire prevention and forest area clearing.
The session was attended by prominent figures such as the Secretary of State for Forests, Rui Ladeira, the Mayor of Póvoa de Varzim, Andrea Silva, and the Vice-President of the Management Council of ICNF, Paulo Salsa. Representatives from 13 municipalities, including Albergaria-a-Velha, Arouca, Castelo de Paiva, Matosinhos, Monção, Oliveira de Azeméis, Paredes, Póvoa de Varzim, Sever do Vouga, Vagos, Vale de Cambra, Valença, and Viana do Castelo, were present, as well as Member of Parliament Carla Barros.
Andrea Silva highlighted that the Mechanization Program for Fuel Management, funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan, foresees the delivery of 154 tractors to municipalities, with a total investment of approximately 27.5 million euros. The Mayor emphasized the importance of the equipment being chosen by the municipalities themselves, stating, "those who know the territory know what kind of machine they need." She assured that "a program that starts by listening to people has a much higher probability of success than a program designed from afar".
The mayor also revealed that, in Póvoa de Varzim, fire protection is an ongoing priority, with the Municipal Forest Fire Defense Plan in effect until 2031, allocating around 2 million euros and five action axes. "In Póvoa de Varzim, we want to prevent, rather than chase losses," stated Andrea Silva.
Rui Ladeira, Secretary of State for Forests, referred to the equipment delivery as a sign of assurance regarding the importance of all territorial agents in prevention and management. Since April 2024, the Government has been "anticipating goals to ensure Portugal's protection," allocating 50 million euros to empower the territory, and highlighting the 2050 Forest Intervention Plan.
