On its Facebook page, the Leiria Territorial Command of the GNR reported that in Gordaria, in the Union of Parishes of Santa Catarina da Serra and Chainça, "a cigarette butt thrown on the ground started a fire that destroyed 5.6 hectares of forest and scrubland, forced the closure of EN 113, and mobilized several GNR resources."
According to the GNR, thanks to the "investigation carried out by officers from the Leiria Nature and Environmental Protection Service, supported by the Technical Support Unit of the Leiria Territorial Command, it was possible to detect the origin of the fire, collect evidence for later analysis, and seize the object that started it."
In the information, which emphasized that "a cigarette butt is not harmless," the GNR warned that "throwing a cigarette butt out the window can cause a fire," also warning that "a small gesture can have very serious consequences."
The fire started at 1 p.m., and more than a hundred firefighters, supported by dozens of vehicles and various aircraft, were involved in fighting it. By around 6:50 p.m., the fire was consolidating.
Lieutenant Colonel Vítor Correia, of the Leiria Territorial Command of the GNR, told Lusa news agency that "a cigarette butt was at the ignition point" of the fire.
"This trace was flagged, collected, and treated as evidence, to be presented in the proceedings before the judicial authority," Vítor Correia explained.
The lieutenant colonel urged people traveling on public roads, drivers, and vehicle occupants to exercise extreme caution and "avoid this type of behaviour."
"Besides being a violation under the Traffic Code, it can cause a fire that can reach large proportions and put people and property at risk," Vítor Correia added.