More than 300 people arrested for causing forest fires in Spain

The number of large wildfires in Spain has increased by 25% this year

Forest fires have devastated much of rural Spain in recent months, putting countless lives of both civilians and officials in danger while decimating the habitat of many endangered species of birds and animals. The authorities aren’t taking things lying down, however, as more than 300 people are under active investigation for deliberately or negligently causing these blazes.

In the last year alone, the number of large forest fires has increased by 25% compared to 2020, with experts determining that more than 400 incidents have been caused by criminals while a further 2,300 cases have been taken against people for offences related to the use of fire.

Andalucía is the autonomous community that has registered the most forest fires this year, followed by Castilla y León and Cantabria.

The Guardia Civil in Spain now use the EU Copernicus program to monitor potential fires through satellites and measurement systems on land, in the air and sea, which gives emergency services real-time information instantaneously. This useful tool has been used since September to gauge the evolution of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Canary Island of La Palma.

The main focus of the police forces, however, is to apprehend the perpetrators of these devastating crimes and hold them accountable. To this end, a new tact involves seizing the assets of arsonists to pay for the damage caused by forest fires, a system which is slowly but surely dissuading would-be criminals.

The issue of wildfires poses more than just a threat to the economy and local flora and fauna, as recent data from the UN show that deforestation is one of the main causes of global warming. They release huge amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, as well as other gases and particles, which contribute to the greenhouse effect and climate change.

Image: Archive

Source: Murcia Today