According to the Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI), video surveillance systems (VV) currently cover about 55% of mainland Portugal, corresponding to an estimated area of ​​5,000,000 hectares, covering parts of the districts of Aveiro, Bragança, Setúbal, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisbon, Porto, Santarém, Setúbal and Viseu.

MAI states that this VV equipment “are one of the tools that are part of the fixed surveillance system”, complementing the National Network of Watch Posts (RNPV) of the GNR that exists throughout the country.

According to the law cited by MAI, forestry video surveillance systems comprise “means of the State, metropolitan or inter-municipal entities, municipalities, parishes and other private entities that have their own means installed on private property”.

The Ministry supervised by José Luís Carneiro explains that the use of VV cameras in the forest has been going on for several years and they are installed “in strategic places to cover the 'shadow' areas between the different lookout posts”.