Spain’s Civil Guard announced the arrest of a 48-year-old Moroccan man suspected of deliberately starting one of the largest wildfires near Madrid this summer.
The blaze broke out on July 21 along regional road M-618 in the Cuenca Alta del Manzanares nature reserve, rapidly spreading toward populated areas and prompting authorities to activate emergency plans and temporarily close part of the road.
Firefighting teams, supported by aircraft and ground equipment, managed to contain the flames after several hours, but not before the fire destroyed about 31 hectares of natural cover, mostly grassland.
Investigators determined the blaze was intentional after police dogs detected traces of accelerants at the ignition site.
The probe led authorities to the suspect, who was arrested on August 9 and brought before the courts on charges of arson, an offense under Spanish law punishable by prison and fines.
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