Oeiras municipality confronts wildfire on defense land and launches new public housing scheme

A wildfire broke out on Ministry of Defence property in Linda‑a‑Velha, Oeiras, prompting mayor Isaltino Morais to blame the state for failing to clear the site. Morais said the land had been neglected, noting a €120,000 cleaning budget that had not been acted upon. Six volunteer‑firefighter units battled the blaze, which was contained after about an hour and twenty minutes.

In a separate ceremony, the Oeiras council handed over homes to 37 families and announced plans to issue a public tender for an additional 2,000 affordable housing units by the end of the year. The €3.1 million “Terra de Moinho” project, funded through the national Recovery and Resilience Plan, is part of the municipality’s effort to address housing scarcity. Morais described the hand‑over as an emotional moment, emphasizing the dignity a stable home provides.