On 14 October 2025, we travelled to the north of Portugal to meet the Paredes de Coura fire brigade. We were warmly welcomed by our Portuguese colleagues and the Mayor, whose hospitality made our visit both meaningful and memorable.
This fire station covers a large and demanding area and faces significant challenges, particularly during the summer months. From May to October, the team is called out almost daily to tackle forest and wildfires, and their area also includes two SEVESO-classified sites.
Furthermore, every summer they provide support for a major week-long music festival, which puts even greater strain on their operational capacity. Here too, our Portuguese colleagues indicated that they would welcome additional support during their busiest season.
