When moving to a new location, it's important to identify the home's natural hazards, such as retaining walls to prevent landslides and dikes in the case of flooding. There are also several measures that can be taken to minimize the risks and damage in the event of a forest fire.To achieve this, the mindset for those planning to live in these areas is not "if it happens?" but rather "when it happens?" because the risk is real, and with climate change, forest fires tend to become increasingly violent.The main solution is to create a buffer zone between the forest and the house, or around the entire house. This should never be less than 50 meters. In the case of eucalyptus forests, this buffer zone should be at least 150 meters.In addition to this buffer zone, this area must always be clear (without low-lying bushes that could serve as conduits for fires coming from the forest). Therefore, this land must be plowed/milled every month during the summer.
It's also essential to check accessibility, ensuring that a fire truck can easily reach and maneuver the space.Ideally, would be good to to create a tank or pool, and with an irrigation system, with sprinklers throughout the space and on the roof of the house, so that in the event of a fire, they can be turned on and create a humid environment that prevents spray from putting the home at risk.Plant native trees with high fire resistance, such as oak, magnolia, camellia, and strawberry tree.About myself, I've been a real estate agent in Coimbra for almost 10 years, and during those years, I've helped several families from abroad buy their homes, offering them the best advice on finding the right place for them.
More than just a real estate agent, I'm from Gois, a mountain village surrounded by forest, which taught me a lot about forest fires. I married a forest engineer who works specifically with forest fires, so she shares many of the concerns that anyone living or planning to own a home in the forest needs to have. With this support, I believe I can provide some useful information for those looking to move to Portugal and live in nature.
By Tiago Freitas