80 years ago, Portugal planted an Australian tree to stabilize its soils. It radically changed the way fires spread

Portugal’s mid-20th-century eucalyptus planting was meant to curb erosion and fuel the paper industry.

But the widespread monocultures created continuous forest cover that helped fires spread faster and burn more intensely.

Hotter, drier conditions in recent years have further increased wildfire risk across the country.

The result is a landscape reshaped by reforestation policies into a more fire-prone system.