The Civil Guard continues to investigate a 57 year old man who is suspected to be the perpetrator behind a wildfire that remains active in the Sierra del Caballo de Petrer. He faces accusations of serious negligence connected to a forest fire, allegedly sparked after embers from a barbecue at his chalet were discarded into a rugged landscape a few days earlier during a gathering with friends. The events unfolded as investigators sought to determine how a routine outdoor cookout could escalate into a regional wildfire disaster with far reaching consequences.
Initial reports place the fire ignition at around 2:15 pm on a Wednesday, with containment achieved by the early hours of Thursday. Firefighters and military personnel battled the flames that ultimately destroyed more than 11,500 hectares in the Vall d’Ebo area, while simultaneously another blaze developed in the Sierra del Caballo de Petrer, located roughly 100 kilometers apart from the first incident. The scale of both fires required urgent redeployment of aircraft and resources; several aircraft that had been supporting operations in Vall d’Ebo were redirected to Petrer as the latter fire gained momentum. These developments underscored the complexity of managing multiple concurrent wildfires in diverse terrains across the region.
The Civil Guard conducted a thorough investigation to identify the origin of the fire and to assess potential liability among those involved. According to official information, the Nature Conservation Service of the Alicante Civil Guard, known as Seprona, initiated the inquiry to clarify the causes and circumstances surrounding the incident and to examine any possible accountability for those connected to it. The focus was not only on the sequence of events but also on the broader environmental impact and safety practices at rural properties in the area.
Seprona officials were seen collecting evidence from the affected zone where the flames spread, a routine step in establishing a factual record that could support any subsequent legal or administrative actions. The investigative team emphasized the importance of preserving scene integrity to ensure accurate reconstruction of events and to corroborate testimonies obtained from witnesses and neighbours.
On the following day, Thursday, investigators from Seprona moved again to Puça, the rural district where the fire began, to examine progression patterns and to monitor changes in the burn area. The on site work included a careful assessment of vegetation dryness, topography, and meteorological conditions that could influence fire behavior. Through interviews and field observations, agents identified charcoal residues from a barbecue as the likely ignition source. They documented how embers, thought to be fully extinguished by a homeowner the previous day, were inadvertently re-ignited by dry brush and gusty winds, allowing flames to climb the southern slope of the mountain. The involved individual asserted that attempts were made to extinguish the emerging fire with a garden hose, but these measures proved insufficient.
Photos and现场 notes indicated that the fire began in the Puça area and rapidly expanded into nearby wildland habitats. The early hours of Thursday saw some containment achieved, yet the fire did not fully subside and remained active in certain pockets around the Sierra del Caballo within the Sierra del Cid and Maigmó Protected Landscape. By the close of the reporting period, approximately 100 hectares of shrubs and pines had been affected in that terrain, highlighting the vulnerability of protected landscapes to human caused fires even when initial containment seems achievable.
In summary, authorities confirmed that the sequence of events involved neglected barbecue embers, environmental dryness, and weather conditions that together produced a rapid and dangerous spread of fire through vulnerable brush and pine stands. The investigation continues as officers collect further evidence and testimonies, with the aim of determining responsibility and preventing future incidents. The case remains under active review by the Civil Guard and Seprona, with ongoing monitoring of the affected regions and ongoing risk assessments for nearby communities.