Portugal’s Backup Water Bomber Returns Just as Wildfires Intensify

Foreign residents who spent the last week eyeing the orange glow on Portugal’s summer horizon finally received a piece of encouraging news: the country’s reserve Canadair water-bomber is back in service, easing pressure on an overstretched aerial fleet just as temperatures peak. The return of the heavy plane, operated by Avincis out of Castelo Branco, restores the contractual tally of three large amphibious aircraft available to the national fire-fighting system.

A season that started with bad luck

Months of drought, a string of heatwaves and an unusually early fire season had already stretched resources when, in late July, Portugal’s two primary Canadair CL-215s suffered back-to-back breakdowns—one with structural stress cracks, the other with twin engine failures. The reserve craft, meant to step in during exactly such emergencies, was grounded at the same time for its own engine overhaul. Overnight, the country found itself with zero heavy water bombers—an uncomfortable position for a nation whose central mountains and interior river valleys have become hotspots for fast-moving wildfires.

Morocco fills the gap while repairs drag on

Lisbon activated bilateral agreements and, within 48 hours, Rabat dispatched two Canadairs that began scooping water from Praia de Vieira and dropping it over fires in the Serra da Estrela. For many newcomers, the sight of orange-tailed Moroccan aircraft flying Portuguese call-signs was a surprise, yet cross-border cooperation has become common inside the EU’s wider civil-protection network. The Moroccan crews integrated into the Special Rural Firefighting Device (DECIR) and were told to remain at least until 20 August, providing a critical safety net while Avincis rushed to source replacement parts and airframes.

The comeback of the spare aircraft

Late on 15 August a freshly refurbished turbine-converted CL-215 touched down at Castelo Branco, crewed by Portuguese pilots who had ferried the aircraft from a maintenance base in Spain. Avincis confirmed that the second damaged plane followed 24 hours later, meaning Portugal once again fields three operational Canadairs under its 2025 contract. Civil-protection officials quietly admit that, without the spare, ground teams would have faced severe limitations in covering multiple fires at once, especially in steep terrain where helicopters cannot carry the same 5,400-litre payload.

Why this matters if you live here

Foreign homeowners concentrated in the Algarve, Alentejo wine country and the popular Dão-Lafões region have seen evacuation orders climb in recent summers. With the reserve aircraft airborne again—and two Moroccan bombers still on loan until at least Wednesday—authorities regain flexibility to stage simultaneous water drops, protecting villages and access roads that serve as evacuation corridors. Insurance underwriters also watch air-fleet availability when pricing wildfire coverage, so today’s development could temper premium hikes that have been creeping upward since 2022.

Still a fragile safety net

Repaired or not, the CL-215s are vintage machines from the 1980s. Each carries a complex radial-engine drivetrain whose spare parts are scarce. Even Avincis concedes the fleet “will require constant care” to remain airworthy through the core fire window that usually closes in mid-October. To hedge against further surprises, Lisbon has requested four additional Canadairs via the European Civil Protection Mechanism; Sweden has already offered two smaller Fire Boss amphibians that should touch down by the end of the week.

The long game: buying instead of renting

For newcomers wondering why Portugal does not simply own its own planes, the government has actually begun that shift. Last year it signed a €100 M order for two next-generation DHC-515 Firefighters, partly financed by the EU’s rescEU fund. The first will not arrive until 2026 at the earliest, and a second only in 2030, but both will feature composite wings, digital cockpits and a 6,000-litre tank capable of faster refill cycles. In parallel, an €70 M programme is delivering 11 new helicopters—five light and six medium—while the Air Force is purchasing modular retardant kits for its C-130 fleet. Until those assets materialise, seasonal leasing of Canadairs remains the only viable option.

Living with fire: a quick checklist for expats

If you own or rent property in forested zones, the restored fleet is welcome news, but personal preparedness still matters. Keep vegetation cleared 50 m around homes; subscribe to the ANEPC “Avisos à População” alerts; and store key documents digitally in case an evacuation is ordered. Above all, familiarise yourself with the single European emergency number 112—operators speak English and can dispatch local brigades as well as the newly reinstated heavy water bombers hovering above.