The 1988 Chiado fire in Lisbon, which caused serious damage to the historic center, prompted a series of studies and preventive measures in Portugal that could mitigate other situations that may occur in another historic center. Some 20 years later, the municipality realized that it was necessary to implement protection and prevention measures that would not only minimize the risk of fires, but also their severity, and if they did occur, could be immediately controlled. It was in this context that the Municipality of Chaves decided in 2008 to implement a safety and fire-fighting plan for the Historic Centre, taking into account the state of its buildings and the extreme risk of fire outbreaks that would jeopardize its heritage (several monuments in the Historic Centre are classified as national monuments).