"Much of the area in flames is dominated by eucalyptus, an Australian species introduced to Europe in the 18th Century but which really boomed in Portugal with the rise of paper industries in the mid-20th Century."
I've seen eucalyptus burning, now I understand why it is so bad - eucalyptus is designed to burn!
"In seasonally dry climates oaks are often fire-resistant, particularly in open grasslands, as a grass fire is insufficient to ignite the scattered trees. In contrast a eucalyptus forest tends to promote fire because of the volatile and highly combustible oils produced by the leaves, as well as the production of large amounts of litter which is high in phenolics, preventing its breakdown by fungi and thus accumulates as large amounts of dry, combustible fuel. Consequently, dense eucalypt plantings may be subject to catastrophic firestorms."
"Lack of management of the forest is a key part of Portugal's problem. As rural populations have dwindled, many of these privately owned plots have been neglected, with brush and detritus accumulating - which become fuel for the flames when a fire breaks out."
"The plantations are allowed to plant up to the edge of the road, which is a crime, because if a tree falls over over it blocks the road and that's the end for everyone," Caleb Cluff, an Australian journalist who witnessed the fire, told the BBC's 5 live radio station."
Seems like some lessons need to be learned, safety before profits.