REN donates 4x4 vehicle to Covilhã firefighters

As part of its policy of supporting local communities, REN has donated a 4x4 vehicle to the Covilhã Volunteer Fire Brigade Humanitarian Association, reinforcing the company's commitment to preventing rural fires. This 4x4 will reinforce the Association's fleet of light fire-fighting vehicles.

The vehicle will enable the Covilhã Volunteer Fire Brigade to tackle fires in the interior of the municipality's historic villages and small fires in forest areas. The organisation also intends to equip the vehicle with equipment that will enable it to fight fires in industrial areas and electrical installations.

For the President of the Covilhã Volunteer Fire Brigade Humanitarian Association, Joaquim Matias, ‘this donation demonstrates REN's commitment to improving the fire brigade's capacity, and we are very grateful that our Association has been given this vehicle, which will certainly be an asset to the fire brigade's operations,’ adding that ‘the Covilhã Fire Brigade had an intervention in 2022 at the REN substation in the parish of Ferro, which was recognised with this gesture by REN.’

Over the years, REN has invested in prevention, helping to fight rural fires. This work is carried out through the management and clearing of vegetation and the reafforestation of easement strips, but also through a close partnership with the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority and other forest-related entities.

In May 2023, REN received the Gold Distinguished Service medal from the Portuguese Firefighters' League for its support of volunteer fire brigades in various regions of the country.

In 2024, at national level, REN managed and cleared vegetation in an area of around 10,200 hectares, having contacted more than 36,000 landowners for this purpose. Also in 2024, and taking into account the adaptation of land uses in the line protection strips, 461 hectares were (re)afforested, with the involvement of 1,900 landowners.

Through its easement reforestation programme, REN has already (re)afforested 4,553 hectares between 2010 and 2024, planting more than 1.5 million trees. More than 24,000 landowners have been involved in this process, with the most planted species being strawberry tree and oak, increasing biodiversity and resilience to forest fires in the areas involved.