"By resolution of the Council of Ministers, it was decided that all firefighters who fought on the front lines in the most affected areas during the period from 26 July to 27 August will receive a 25% increase in their daily wages, which will be extended for another 15 days," said Maria Lúcia Amaral, in the municipality of Lousã, Coimbra district.

The minister, who visited the Serpins Volunteer Firefighters this morning, also emphasized the government's commitment to defining the professional status of firefighters who have permanent employment contracts with local humanitarian organizations.

According to the minister, who publicly thanked the Portuguese firefighters, the "rigorous and fair" definition of their professional status "will be a concern of the government in the coming months."

Following the fires that ravaged Portugal in July and August, which consumed more than 250,000 hectares of forest, Maria Lúcia Amaral said it is time to "rebuild, set goals, seriously examine the problems, and immediately help rebuild the lives of those who were deeply affected."

The minister admitted to reporters that "given the scale of the catastrophe," not everything went well in the response to the fires, but emphasized that now "it is time to understand what happened and evaluate."

The Minister of Internal Administration denied that the civil protection system had collapsed, stating that "the country responded," although a critical analysis of its functioning is "on the table."

The municipality of Lousã was affected by a large fire that started on the 14th, which spread to neighbouring municipalities and consumed 3,500 hectares in the Serra de Lousã.

Mainland Portugal has been affected by multiple large rural fires since July, especially in the North and Central regions.

The fires caused four deaths, including a firefighter, and several injuries, some serious, and completely or partially destroyed first and second homes, as well as farms, livestock, and forestry.

According to provisional official data, as of August 23rd, approximately 250,000 hectares had burned in the country, more than 57,000 of which were in the fire that started in Arganil alone.