These 77 lookouts, which form the primary network, are coordinated by the National Republican Guard (GNR) and are part of the Special Rural Fire Fighting Device of 2020.

In a statement, the MAI said that 300 surveillance operators were hired for these 77 watch stations, which operate 24 hours a day.

MAI says that the secondary network, consisting of 153 watch posts, will be active from 29 June to 15 October.

During this period, the National Watchtower Network will consist of 230 stations and 920 operators.

The Ministry under the tutelage of Eduardo Cabrita points out that this year a balance of five lookouts from the secondary network to the primary network was balanced, allowing “a more complete and effective coverage of the national territory”, namely in the districts of Vila Real, Castelo Branco and Aveiro.

The MAI states that the activity of the National Network of Watchtowers in the area of ??surveillance and detection of nascent rural fires allows “an intervention by the means of combat in a faster and more precise way”.

In addition to alerting the entities responsible for fighting, the network of watch posts also contributes to the georeferencing of the occurrence, through the triangulation process and the production of useful complementary information to support the operational decision.