A 14-year-old boy confessed to police that he deliberately started multiple wildfires in Portugal.
He said frustration over poor school results and social struggles motivated his actions.
Authorities suspect he set fires in Seidões, Ardegão, and Arnozela.
Police have not ruled out that he acted with others.
Investigation Reveals Repeated Arson
Officials launched investigations after fires repeatedly erupted in the same parishes.
Police reported summer fires destroyed several hectares and alarmed local communities.
Braga Judicial Police completed the inquiry and transferred the case to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The prosecutor will present the case to the Family and Children’s Court.
Authorities Arrest Arson Suspects
By 20 August, police arrested 52 people for suspected arson, most arrests occurred in August.
Vinhais Fire Remains Active
Emergency services reported 97 fires burning on Friday morning, though most were under control.
The Vinhais fire posed the greatest threat and spread across three fronts, one hard to access.
Authorities deployed over 400 firefighters, 140 vehicles, and six planes to fight the flames.
Temperatures dropped last week, aiding firefighting, but IPMA warned of extreme wildfire risk in interior and southern regions.
