The 40-year-old firefighter was a volunteer at the Alfândega da Fé corporation, where he held leadership roles, and was arrested in September 2019 by the Judiciary Police on suspicion of being the author of seven fires.

The accusation of the Public Ministry, now known, imputes to the firefighter a higher number of crimes, specifically 18 crimes of forest fire, in several places in the municipality of Alfândega da Fé.

The Public Prosecutor's Office understood that there was evidence that the defendant “decided to set fires on forest and agricultural land, knowing that they would be fought by the fire brigade of which he was a part, in order to be able to show himself in that fight, namely by exercising the aforementioned leadership functions, and thus progress hierarchically”.

According to the prosecution, between 14 May and 2 September, 2019, the fireman started “18 forest fires in different places in the municipality of Alfândega da Fé, causing losses never lower than 270,000 Euros”.

Of this amount, the Public Ministry specifies that “at least 74,826 are related to expenses with devices and means to fight flames, borne by the National Civil Protection Authority”.

The prosecution describes that the defendant "used to ignite the flames, moreover, slow-burning incendiary devices, some of which were provided with dried mushrooms, of vegetable origin, and sulphur".

The Porto PGD also reveals that the firefighter "is subject to the measure of obligation to stay in the home, with electronic surveillance".

When he was arrested by the Judiciary Police in September 2019, the suspect was released after being heard in court, through daily presentations to authorities in the area of ??the residence.

The defendant was, however, “forbidden to visit agricultural areas, bush, forest or purchase materials that could cause fires”, in addition to being suspended from functions in the fire brigade.