In a statement, the GNR recalls that in the same period last year, it had recorded three times as many forest fire crimes, 1,790, detained more than twice as many people, 42, and identified four times as many suspects, 511.

The GNR reported 10,252 situations of lack of land cleaning in the first five months of the year.

Leiria with 2,411 was the district where the most reports were made, followed by Viseu with 1,233, Coimbra with 837, Santarém 788, and Castelo Branco 711.

According to GNR data, Portalegre and Évora are the districts with the least, 71 and 85, respectively.

The guard carried out 17,209 patrolling actions, involving more than 43 thousand soldiers throughout the national territory.

Within the scope of prevention and awareness for land cleaning, the GNR carried out 4,428 awareness actions in the first five months of this year, covering 76,052 people.

The actions aimed, according to the GNR, to avoid risky behaviour, and raise awareness of the importance of adopting self-protection measures and the correct use of fire by the community.

In the note, the GNR emphasises that burning and burning are the main causes of fires in Portugal.