The Polícia Judiciária (PJ) announced the arrest of a 72-year-old woman, suspected of starting nine forest fires in July and August in the outskirts of Guarda, specifically in Outeiro de São Miguel.
Authorities indicated that she allegedly ignited the fires “for trivial reasons, using direct flames on accumulations of dry fuels next to small pine and oak groves” during a period heavily affected by forest fires in the district.
The Criminal Investigation Department of Guarda determined that these fires occurred at night and their spread was contained thanks to the swift response of the Special Rural Firefighting Unit.
The PJ’s official statement noted that one fire did not spread further because “inspectors monitoring the forest areas after previous ignitions managed to control the blaze using extinguishers until the firefighting teams from the Guarda Volunteer Fire Department arrived.”
The detainee will face her first judicial hearing for the imposition of appropriate measures, with the inquiry led by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Guarda.
This operation involved close collaboration with the Working Group for Reducing Ignitions in Rural Areas – Central Interior (GNR, ICNF, and PJ), and the GNR’s NPA of Guarda.
