Fires can happen anywhere, no matter in Town or country side. We have more problems with Eucalyptus plantations, try avoid them.

Best places to live always depend on what we need around and life style we wish. One important point and almost mandatory is to have a car, without car will be always hard to have freedom to move around and public transports aren't great solution. If decision is to have some land/house away from city then a car is really mandatory.

I would approach several real estate agencies located in Algarve to query for options, Albufeira, Quarteira, Faro, etc... all different and no one better than local agencies to give better info and deals.

Bearing in mind the high rate of taxation in Portugal, it begs the question what are we paying for? 

The fires have destroyed the land around my friends places in Taipas, and the utility supplies have been wiped out - electricity cables and water pipes. No one was hurt, but the dogs guarding the Taipas Medronho still are missing, and the bushes that are harvested to make the Medronho are gone, so poor Jose's business has finished. The buildings were singed but not burned fortunately.     

I've been following the wildfires in Portugal through the media and fogos.pt.  It doesn't look good while this heat and drought continue.

It amazes me that most firefighters in Portugal are volunteers. I know we have some in the UK but not to the extent in Portugal.  I'm very impressed by these men and women who put themselves in harms way for little money.  The best I can find is that while on duty they get less than €2.00 an hour.