LISBON: This year, till three days ago, registers 27 per cent less rural fires and 70 per cent less burned area in Portugal, compared to the average annual level of the past decade, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Action (MAAC) said.

So far, this year has recorded the third smallest number of fires and the fourth fewest burned area compared with the same period since 2013, the MAAC said on Sunday in a statement.

The Ministry attributes the improvement to the launch of the Integrated Management System for Rural Fires, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to data released by the Ministry, the government had invested greater in combatting rural fires before 2017 but now 50 per cent of the budget available is invested in fire prevention.

"The total investment more than doubled compared to the 2017 level," now reaching 500 million euros ($551.8 million), the MAAC added.