A 42-year-old man was arrested on Thursday, August 28, on suspicion of committing at least 17 forest fire crimes in the parish of Lavradas, Ponte da Barca municipality, Viana do Castelo district, between June 15 last year and July 10 this year.
In a statement, the Polícia Judiciária (PJ) disclosed that the suspect is a resident of the same area where the fires occurred and “was very familiar with the terrain, mastering the entry and exit points.”
This allowed the man to start fires without being seen, “not raising suspicion about his criminal activity.”
Inspectors noted that during 2024-2025, “on a systematic basis and at alternating days and times, multiple ignitions occurred, endangering a vast forest area with several nearby buildings, which resulted in multiple fires that were promptly extinguished by firefighters and aerial resources allocated to the area.”
“The various locations of these incidents are situated in areas with special conditions for propagation to large forested areas, mainly composed of tree vegetation, hence generating enormous risks, potentially fueled not only by the high load of flammable products present but also by the region’s steep incline, resulting in an extremely high concrete danger to people, their property, and the environment,” the PJ further explained.
Following the investigation – “and persistent work gathering elements of evidence,” highlighted the inspectors in the same note – it was finally possible to identify the suspect, “also noted for excessive alcohol consumption,” establishing that the fires were set by direct flame, mostly in the afternoon, “at very similar times repeatedly.”
The detainee will now be brought before the competent judicial authorities for an initial interrogatory, aiming to apply appropriate restrictive measures.
The PJ suspects that the same man is also responsible for several ignitions that occurred in 2023 in a forest area in the locality of Bemposta, in Lavradas.
