The Civil Guard has arrested this Wednesday the alleged perpetrator of the fires that occurred on February 11 and 12 in the El Saler Natural Park as well as for an alleged crime of breach of precautionary measures.
The detainee, JCE, is a man, of Spanish nationality and 59 years old, and is the same person who was already arrested in October for the fire that destroyed more than 16 hectares of forest in the Devesa del Saler, which has a dune and Mediterranean forest system and is located in the Albufera natural park, 10 kilometers from Valencia.
During the last fire, the evacuation of five residential towers was necessary.
The armed institute has reported that the Seprona investigations as well as citizen collaboration have been “fundamental” in locating the alleged perpetrator.
After the arrest in October, the judge on duty decreed provisional detention, with notice and without bail, after being accused of the crime of aggravated forest fire.
In December, he was released at the request of his defense and with the favorable report of the prosecutor and with the prohibition of approaching or entering the wooded area of the mountain, both the wooded area and the one with low vegetation, with the exception of all paved parts, as well as the beach and all paths enabled by the City Council for hiking in areas other than forests and the gardens of the properties where he resides as precautionary measures.
After the fire in February, the Civil Guard tried to locate the suspect to serve him with a court order but, apparently, he was admitted to a hospital.
The mayor of Valencia, María José Catalá, revealed after the fire at the beginning of the month that a paraffin bottle had been found near her home.
In addition, she asked the judge leading the investigation to geolocate the suspect's mobile phone and decided to involve the City Council in the investigation.
Furthermore, the Government delegate in the Valencian Community, Pilar Bernabé, assured that the investigation “indicated that it was intentional.”
Seprona suspects that the alleged arsonist is the author of a dozen fires that, for the most part, have not been very important, but have added affected hectares of a very rich forest area in a neck of land that separates the Mediterranean from the lake. of fresh water from l'Albufera.