Will Portugal Draft Its Military Into the Wildfire Fight?

Foreign residents following Portugal's record-breaking fire season have watched an unexpected figure step into the spotlight: retired admiral and presidential hopeful Henrique Gouveia e Melo. He says it is time to bring the country’s military discipline, hardware and chain of command into the heart of wildfire response—an idea that sparks both optimism and caution among emergency professionals. Below we unpack what his remarks actually mean, how the armed forces are already being used, and what any shift could look like for people living, working or investing in Portugal.

Why the military debate suddenly matters for expats

Portugal is enduring its worst summer of flames since 2022, with approximately 42 000 ha of countryside lost by mid-August and red-flag alerts stretching from the Algarve to the Serra da Estrela. Insurance queries from foreigners have soared, rural rentals have been cancelled and some Schengen visa applicants now ask consulates whether relocation plans should wait until the wet season. Against this anxious backdrop, Gouveia e Melo’s call for "more boots, more helicopters, more command clarity" has gained traction because foreigners—many from countries where soldiers already assist in disasters—see the pitch as common sense. Yet Portugal’s legislation, budget priorities and volunteer-firefighter culture make the idea more complex than it first appears.

What the candidate is actually proposing—minus the soundbites

The former navy chief stops short of demanding that soldiers replace firefighters on the front line. Instead, he paints a picture of civil protection run with military-style command and control: tighter hierarchies, real-time intelligence and long-term forest strategy anchored in planeamento rather than improvisation. At campaign stops he rails against inoperable Canadair water bombers and “too many agencies, too many email chains” when a fast-moving blaze breaks out. His solution woulditalicise national re-forestation plans, attack monoculture economics and funnel EU recovery funds toward equipment that can double as defence and disaster assets.

How the armed forces are already in the field

Foreigners may be surprised to learn that the uniformed services are far from idle. Between May and November this year some 6 000 service members are scheduled for wildfire duties—mainly patrol, surveillance and engineering. The army alone sends 35 ground patrols every day, racking up 254 000 km in eight thousand operational hours. Naval detachments roam nature parks, and the air force has reactivated Esquadrão 551 “Panteras” with UH-60A Black Hawks expected to reach initial firefighting capacity by November. These aircraft complement 69 civilian and leased planes under the national DECIR 2025 plan. In short: soldiers already watch, map, bulldoze and mop-up, but they rarely advance on the flames like U.S. smoke-jumpers or Australian reservists.

Legal and professional brakes on a bigger role

Defence minister Nuno Melo reminded parliament that current law bars the military from direct suppression; they enter hot zones only if requested by civil protection and under firefighter command. Unions warn that pushing troops forward without specialist gear or wildland training risks casualties and lawsuits. Academics also note a constitutional tension: the armed forces exist to defend sovereignty, not to become an auxiliary fire brigade. Any deep reform would therefore require legislative tweaks, larger insurance pools and sustained funding—no easy feat when public accounts still absorb pandemic-era debts.

Potential benefits—and real politics—behind the proposal

Still, disaster specialists concede tangible upsides: the military brings GPS-guided bulldozers, field hospitals, encrypted radios and drone swarms that municipal bombeiros simply cannot afford. A tighter command spine could also shorten the infamous “golden hour” between ignition and full-scale response. For Gouveia e Melo, the politics are equally clear. Wildfires rank among the few national-security issues sensed daily by voters from Lisbon condos to Douro wine estates—many owned by expatriates. Positioning himself as the “order-out-of-chaos” candidate may widen his base far beyond traditional defence hawks.

What might change on the ground next summer

Should momentum grow, analysts foresee a phased approach rather than a revolutionary leap:– Expanded engineering detachments to pre-clear fuel breaks in winter, reducing summer flashpoints.– Full operational status for the Black Hawk squadron, nearly doubling state-owned aerial hours.– A joint command centre where civil protection chiefs sit alongside generals, mirroring Spain’s UME model.– Pilot programmes giving soldiers certified hot-zone training under firefighter instructors—sidestepping the legal ban by re-classifying certain units as “dual task.” None of this would likely be felt before the 2026 fire season, but property owners could see zoning, insurance and permit rules shift sooner as municipalities adapt.

Staying safe: what newcomers should keep in mind

Regardless of political outcomes, foreign residents can act now: verify that home insurance covers incêndios rurais, enroll mobile phones with the Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil alert system, and map at least two evacuation routes from any countryside property. If living in forest-adjacent parishes, clear vegetation within the legally mandated 50-m buffer—inspectors have already fined hundreds of homeowners this year, including non-Portuguese nationals. Finally, bookmark the interactive fire risk map on the IPMA website; it updates every 10 minutes and is available in English.

The debate over troops and fires will rumble on through the presidential campaign, but one truth is settled: climate change is lengthening Portugal’s burn window, and every resident—native or newcomer—has a stake in how the country reorganises to face the heat.