OS DESAFIOS DA IMPLEMENTAÇÃO DOS PROGRAMAS ALDEIA SEGURA/PESSOAS SEGURAS NO CONCELHO DE RIBEIRA DE PENA.

The municipality of Ribeira de Pena can be described as the land where the region of Minho ends and Trás-os-Montes begins, and this is reflected in the contrast of landscapes throughout its territory and, inherently, in the use of fire. Once holding the distinction of having the largest area of maritime pine in Europe, it continues to be a region dominated by this specie. This factor increases the potential for one or several large fires. The municipality of Ribeira de Pena has a predominantly rural profile, in which the forest area represents 78% of the territory and the agricultural area 19%. In this context, rural fires constitute a real threat, whose risk has been aggravated over the last few decades, following the progressive depopulation, associated with the existence of large migratory flows directed towards the metropolitan areas of the coast, or towards the European space. To revitalize this territory, several institutional initiatives have emerged, the attempt to implement programs associated with community funds that cover different aspects. This is the only way to leverage the resilience of the territory and its populations, recognizing the importance of empowering the population and facilitating operational intervention, which is why, since 2019, the Municipality of Ribeira de Pena has invested in the implementation of the Aldeia Segura/Pessoas Seguras Programs. This work reflects the experience of the Office for Civil Protection and Defense of the Forest of the Municipality of Ribeira de Pena, which identified a set of factors, such as collaboration with home support teams, which may favor or hinder the operationalization of these two programs in the ground. From this reflection, the challenges in the implementation of the Aldeia Segura/Pessoas Seguras Programs in the municipality of Ribeira de Pena are listed, namely, time management and compatibility with other tasks in charge of this municipal service. From the identification of these challenges, it is expected to improve the efficiency of the Program's implementation process, as well as increase its capacity to effectively provide the protection of the community. In the view of the Office for Civil Protection and Defense of the Forest of the Municipality of Ribeira de Pena, the success of this program will depend on other measures that act on risk mitigation, such as, for example, fuel management or increased economic profitability agrosilvopastoral or tourist activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]