An operator detained for starting the Ávila forest fire, which has burned 50,000 hectares, had used prohibited heavy machinery in the area for several days, according to witnesses and the Guardia Civil investigation.
The fire started at 13:00 on July 22 in Burgohondo when the detained man drove the unlicensed vehicle. A spark ignited the blaze that spread rapidly. The operator admitted moving the machine but denied working with it, though witnesses and the SEPRONA technical report contradicted his account.
Two witnesses stated they had seen the man using the machinery days earlier to open paths in the area where its use was banned due to the heat wave. The Castilla y León government had decreed the restriction. The vehicle owner is also under investigation but was not detained.
Both men face charges of forest fire and crimes against natural resources and the environment, with aggravating factors for affecting areas near inhabited zones. The proceedings will be sent to the court and the Prosecutor's Office.
