With two of the largest wildfires in its history, Portugal once again faced a devastating fire season. Despite its size, it has recorded Europe’s largest burned area over the past two decades, as depopulation in the interior has left vast, unmanaged landscapes dominated by eucalyptus plantations linked to the paper industry.

“A Burning Landscape” moves beyond the summer media cycle to examine the causes and responses to Portugal’s wildfire crisis, rooted in a personal connection to the Açor Mountains. It highlights how communities combine technology, ecological restoration, traditional fire knowledge, and large-scale land management to build resilience.

After fires, crews clear debris and build ash-retention barriers before rains. Others plant fast-growing native species, sometimes using drones, to stabilise soil. Large restoration projects use heavy machinery on communal land with long-term horizons. Controlled burns, revived from shepherding traditions, are also used to reduce risk.