Following a string of recent arrests of suspected arsonists across the country, PJ police have announced the arrest of a 56-year-old woman accused of setting six forest fires in August and September in Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, in the Guarda district.
Investigators say in a statement to the press that the suspect, arrested on Tuesday, September 30, allegedly used an open flame to ignite piles of dry vegetation and other debris. The fires broke out during a “period of high fire activity in the district”, with weather conditions that made the risk of spread extreme, according to the Portuguese Sea and Atmosphere Institute (IPMA).
Thanks to the quick intervention of the Special Rural Firefighting Device, the fires were contained before causing greater damage, PJ investigators add.
The woman will now appear before a judge for her first interrogation, where the court will decide on the appropriate preventive measures. The case is being overseen by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Guarda.
