A 56-year-old man was arrested on Thursday, September 5, on suspicion of committing a forest fire crime in the locality of São Cipriano, Resende.
According to the Judicial Police (PJ), the crime occurred “on August 18.”
“The detainee allegedly caused the fire using a direct flame, ultimately endangering a significant forest area, as well as several houses located on the outskirts,” reads a statement from the authority.
On this date, there was also the aggravating factor of a very high risk of rural fire, according to what had been signaled by the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) and the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF).
The suspect had no criminal record and was “a resident in the area.” He will now be presented for a first judicial interrogation to determine the appropriate coercive measures.
