In the pine-scented hills of Nelas, Pedro Santos, 67, kneels in his vineyard, pulling weeds with weathered hands. Portugal’s wildfire crackdown, with fines up to €5,000 for uncleared land, has him racing to meet the June 1 deadline. The National Republican Guard (GNR) patrols his village, checking for overgrown brush under rules born from the 2017 fires that killed 66. As summer heat creeps in, Santos and his neighbors grapple with a policy that feels like a lifeline and a burden all at once.

The law demands a 50-meter cleared zone around properties to choke off wildfire fuel. Last year’s blazes burned 143,313 hectares, mostly in northern Portugal, claiming nine lives and countless homes. GNR officers, like one in Oliveira de Azeméis, walk fields with clipboards, explaining rules. “It’s about keeping villages safe,” he said, pointing to dry grass. A wet spring slowed clearing efforts, but with forecasts of 40°C, urgency is spiking. Portugal, Europe’s wildfire leader, saw 1.4 megatonnes of carbon emissions from 2024’s fires, per the EU’s Copernicus system.

For Santos, compliance is a struggle. “Hiring help costs €500 I don’t have,” he said, his voice heavy with frustration. Eucalyptus plantations, covering 25% of Portugal’s forests, fuel fierce fires, worsened by climate change. The government’s National Plan for Integrated Wildfire Management, backed by EU funds, pushes “mosaic landscapes” mixing crops and trees. But rural poverty and abandoned plots make it tough. “I want to do my part, but the fines feel unfair,” Santos added.

In Albergaria-a-Velha, some back the crackdown. “Cleared land saved my shop last year,” said Sofia Pinto, a baker. Others, like farmer Ana Lopes, facing a €2,500 fine, feel trapped. “The government should subsidize equipment, not punish us,” she said. Experts like Miguel Bugalho from the University of Lisbon call for native forests over eucalyptus. “We need land that resists fire,” he said. A €5 million municipal fund helps, but slow delivery fuels resentment.

As fines loom, Portugal wrestles with bigger issues: depopulation and flammable monocultures. Can the crackdown save lives without crushing livelihoods? Will rural communities get the help they need? For now, Santos clears his vineyard, praying he can dodge both flames and penalties.

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