A 30-year-old woman was arrested on Sunday, October 5, on suspicion of committing two forest fires on October 5, in the União de Freguesias de São João da Ribeira and Ribeira de São João, in Rio Maior, the Judiciary Police (PJ) revealed in a statement on Monday.
According to investigators, the woman ignited flames using direct fire “on the vegetative fuels.” The burned area consisted mainly of underbrush, eucalyptus, and pine trees.
The two ignitions, spaced about 10 meters apart, occurred in a remote and disguised location, “inside the forest area and on an easily accessible path, where there was abundant dead and fine fuel.”
The fires did not reach more serious proportions due to the rapid and effective intervention of firefighting resources.
The PJ also noted that the incidents occurred in a context of alcohol and drug dependence, as well as frequent psychotic episodes.
The detained woman, who has a criminal record for property crimes and physical assault, will now be brought to her first judicial interrogation for the application of appropriate coercive measures.
