Four arrested in Vila Real district for forest fires caused by uncontrolled burning
Three elderly men and a 59-year-old woman were arrested on Monday in Vila Real on suspicion of forest fire. The burnings had authorisation, but ultimately escaped control.
Four defendants in Vila Real after authorised burning generates forest fires
Three men and a woman were arrested on Monday in the Vila Real district on suspicion of the crime of forest fire, according to Observador. In all cases, the burning had prior authorisation, but ended up getting out of control.
The GNR Territorial Command in Vila Real confirmed to Lusa news agency the details of the arrests. The defendants are three men in their seventies — aged 74, 73 and 77 — and a 59-year-old woman.
The 74-year-old detainee is from the municipality of Vila Pouca de Aguiar; the 73-year-old is from Ribeira de Pena; and the 77-year-old is from Alijó. The woman was arrested in the municipality of Vila Real.
On Monday, the heat contributed to the emergence of several fire outbreaks at different points in the district.
The GNR appeals to the population to check the meteorological conditions of the day before starting any burning, even if they have authorisation to burn. The authority also recommends forming small piles of waste, maintaining a container with water or hose nearby, and clearing vegetation around the material to be burned.
Forest fire is one of the most frequently recorded crimes in the Vila Real district. From the start of the year until September, the GNR arrested 30 suspects for having set fires in the region.
Source: Observador