A former fireman suspected of starting 13 forest fires, including the fire which devastated 7,000 hectares of hillside, thousands of which were in Moratalla, has been arrested by the Guardia Civil.
He has been released on bail.
According to the Government Delegate the suspect, aged 49, was an employee of Environmental Management in Castilla de Mancha (Geacom), part of the Ministry of Agriculture.
He was arrested on at 9pm on February 13 after the Guardia Civil were alerted to a fire on the edges of the CM-3259 (Albatana-Jumilla). The officers saw a saloon car travelling along a country road nearby without lights. The car was spotted later by a patrol in Tobarro, Albacete on the AB-404 (Cordovilla-Tobarra). A high speed chase ensued before the car was stopped and driver arrested.
The ex fireman is suspected of provoking the worst fire of last summer in the Castilla La Mancha and Murcia areas which burned 6.859,49 hectáreas in Albacete and Murcia, including the villaje of Salmerón in Moratalla where thousands of acres of land was destroyed and villagers had to be evacuated.
