A man is facing allegations of igniting the most extensive wildfire in Spanish history using a prohibited construction tool. The individual, a construction worker, was apprehended for supposedly starting the destructive inferno that swept through central Spain, prompting approximately 90,000 residents to evacuate. The massive fire ignited near Navaluenga, Ávila, on July 22, the same day two distinct wildfires erupted in Madrid. Concerns arose that the fires could converge before the blazes in Madrid eventually amalgamated.
If proven guilty of causing the fire due to negligence, the unnamed man could be sentenced to between five to ten years in prison. According to firefighters, the man was operating his excavator’s hydraulic hammer to crush rocks when sparks inadvertently ignited the dry vegetation, as reported by El Mundo.
The construction worker refuted operating the machine, claiming he had only gone to the site to retrieve it. Authorities alleged that the work was conducted without a permit, and the excavator lacked the mandatory fire-extinguishing equipment. The utilization of such machinery is prohibited during Spain’s summer months due to the heightened risk posed by summer heatwaves and fire emergencies.
The blaze rapidly spread out of control, scorching an estimated 193 square miles and compelling around 90,000 individuals to flee their residences in one of Spain’s most severe wildfires. Ecological Transition Minister Sara Aagesen disclosed that approximately 77,000 hectares were impacted by the fires across Spain, with Ávila accounting for 50,000 hectares. She emphasized that the wildfire in the Ávila region marked the largest in recent Spanish history.
Regional president Alfonso Fernández Mañueco stated, “This fire resulted from negligence. The Castilla y León government will pursue legal action against the person responsible for igniting this fire.”
Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska cautioned of challenging conditions ahead, with strong winds and soaring temperatures posing threats to firefighting operations, despite some stabilization in the major blaze affecting Ávila and Madrid. While some evacuation and shelter-in-place orders were lifted due to improved conditions, restrictions persist in the most affected areas.
Authorities also alerted about another wildfire in the northwestern province of Zamora, prompting the evacuation of six towns and the shelter-in-place directive for about 1,000 individuals. Temperatures were expected to reach close to 40C in certain parts of Spain, with the heatwave anticipated to endure until at least Sunday.
Aemet, Spain’s state meteorological agency, cautioned that the “fire danger level will continue to escalate to extreme levels, impeding firefighting efforts.”