A 72-year-old man was arrested last Thursday during investigations into a forest fire in the locality of Casal Vasco.
The man “is believed to have acted negligently, causing the spread of flames from the area surrounding his residence, consuming about 0.3 hectares of grass, shrubs, and maritime pine,” it was reported.
After appearing in court, provisional suspension of the process was determined for 14 months in exchange for a compensation payment of 500 euros to the Fornos de Algodres Volunteer Firefighters.
The GNR concluded the statement by reminding that burning activities are among the main causes of fires in Portugal and should be conducted following safety regulations. It also emphasized that such activities are prohibited when there is a very high or maximum rural fire risk alert.
