Hello and welcome to today's Pulse. Wildfires in the centre remind us how fragile the land can be, but there is also fresh innovation, water solutions and community celebration to lift the day.
A large blaze starting in Vouzela wiped out the 24-hectare Cambarinho Botanical Reserve and burned over 15,000 hectares across several municipalities. Homes, farmland and livestock were lost before it was contained.
The same wildfire spread into Águeda, destroying more than 70% of the 850 hectares of communal forest managed locally. Eight years of reforestation work were lost, with damages in the hundreds of thousands of euros.
Zero is asking for clarification about the Volta a Portugal stage crossing the Peneda-Gerês National Park, including protected zones. The group wants transparency on authorisations and any impact assessment on wildlife.
The Municipality of Pombal issued an unfavorable opinion on local mining extraction projects. It cited cumulative impacts on air, noise, water resources, landscape and ecosystems.
A new borehole in Almada starts up Sunday morning, brought forward to strengthen supply after recent failures. It should add around 20% capacity, but will run only by day due to noise complaints.
After completing repairs to a farm water system in Ponta Delgada, Flores, the Azores government will study further reinforcement with the local parish. Technical surveys and a forestry maintenance protocol were also arranged.
Nuno Correia, descended from a salt worker, built SalOS to record salt production in real time and enable QR-based traceability and certification. It also offers direct sales to consumers.
Near Lagos, a Danish-backed project trains residents to harvest and process invasive water hyacinths. It clears blocked waterways while creating an economic resource from the plant.
The Machico Forum and Porto Santo cultural centre earned the international Green Key environmental award for the first time. The certification recognised energy efficiency, waste management and social responsibility.
The third Go Green event at Tavira Plaza gathered around 20 local partners to share ESG projects and good practices. It included the municipality, Tavira Verde and the Irene Rolo Foundation.
Residents in central Lisbon complain of litter left in the streets as people search bins for containers covered by the Volta deposit-return scheme. The city acknowledges the problem and is monitoring the situation.
