A 14-year-old boy confessed to deliberately igniting wildfires using matches in forested areas.
Police said he rode a scooter to Seidões, Ardegão, and Arnozela before starting fires.
Authorities believe frustration over poor school results and social struggles motivated his actions.
Investigators have not ruled out the boy acting with others.
Authorities Investigate Repeated Fire Outbreaks
Police launched probes after fires repeatedly erupted in the same parishes during summer.
Officials reported the blazes consumed several hectares of forest and alarmed local residents.
Braga Judicial Police completed the investigation and passed the case to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The Family and Children’s Court will now handle the matter.
Arrests and Ongoing Firefighting Efforts
By 20 August, police arrested 52 people on suspicion of arson, mostly in August.
Emergency services reported 97 fires burning Friday morning, with most under control.
The Vinhais fire remained active and dangerous, spreading on three fronts since Tuesday morning.
Firefighters deployed 400 personnel, 140 vehicles, and six planes to battle the blaze.
Officials contained two fronts but struggled to access the third.
Weather and Alerts Impact Operations
Dropping temperatures aided firefighting efforts, with Friday highs between 14 and 32 degrees Celsius.
Cloudy skies appeared across most of the country, helping crews contain flames.
The Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere issued maximum wildfire alerts for southern and interior regions.
