{"id":34517,"date":"2026-08-19T09:03:20","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T08:03:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.provedor-jus.pt\/?p=34517"},"modified":"2026-08-19T10:28:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T09:28:07","slug":"reconstruction-and-evacuations-ombudsman-examines-public-response-to-storm-kristin-and-the-2025-wildfires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.provedor-jus.pt\/en\/reconstruction-and-evacuations-ombudsman-examines-public-response-to-storm-kristin-and-the-2025-wildfires\/","title":{"rendered":"Reconstruction and Evacuations | Ombudsman Examines Public Response to Storm Kristin and the 2025 Wildfires"},"content":{"rendered":"
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On World Humanitarian Day<\/strong>, as recognized by the United Nations, the Ombudsman is publishing two thematic reports addressing key aspects of the response by public authorities to Storm Kristin and the rural wildfires of 2025, putting forward recommendations to strengthen the State\u2019s preparedness, institutional coordination, and protection of fundamental rights in disaster situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Entitled \u201cStorm Kristin: Assessment of Housing Reconstruction Support<\/a>\u201d<\/em> and \u201cEvacuations in Disaster Situations: Safeguarding the Fundamental Rights of Vulnerable People<\/a>\u201d<\/em>, the reports result from an own-initiative investigation by the Ombudsman, which included visits to affected areas and the collection of information from local authorities, public administration services, civil society organizations, and affected citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The work now presented was aimed, in particular, at identifying good practices and highlighting constraints that could be improved, bearing in mind that, in disaster situations, State action must be prompt and effective in protecting people and fundamental values, and that neither the exceptional nature of such events nor the urgency of intervention should compromise respect for fundamental rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

i. Storm Kristin | Housing Reconstruction Support<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

The report on Storm Kristin concludes that the extraordinary support schemes for reconstruction made it possible to respond to a large number of cases, demonstrating the Public Administration\u2019s capacity to adapt, the decisive role played by local authorities, and cooperation between different public and private entities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, difficulties were identified concerning the complexity of administrative procedures, coordination between entities, the preparedness of public services to respond to large-scale events, and the essential issue of communication with citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cases examined demonstrate the importance of having permanent mechanisms in place to structure the public response and reduce the need for ad hoc solutions to be created in response to each new emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this context, the Ombudsman recommends, in particular:<\/p>\n\n\n\n