A 75-year-old man was detained on Saturday, August 16, by the Polícia Judiciária (PJ) in Mêda on suspicion of committing the crime of forest fire arson.
In a statement, the PJ noted that an anonymous report from an affected citizen prompted the start of an investigation.
“It was established that the suspect allegedly ignited the fire using a direct flame in a forest area near a farming operation, with no apparent motive, endangering firefighters and locals fighting a preexisting fire just meters away, on a day marked by numerous forest fires in the same district,” the statement read.
The PJ further explained that the fire was “set behind those combating the first front” and “did not assume larger proportions” due to the “prompt intervention of firefighters.”
The detainee, who has a criminal record for other types of offenses, will face an initial judicial interrogation to determine the measures of coercion to be applied.
It is notable that the fire that broke out in Sátão on Wednesday merged with a fire that began in Trancoso over a week ago (on the 9th), spreading to 11 municipalities in the districts of Viseu and Guarda.
The 11 municipalities are: Sátão, Sernancelhe, Moimenta da Beira, Penedono, and São João da Pesqueira (in the district of Viseu); Aguiar da Beira, Trancoso, Fornos de Algodres, Mêda, Celorico da Beira, and Vila Nova de Foz Côa (in the district of Guarda).
