28-year-old man arrested over forest fire in Riglos, Huesca: 5,500 hectares affected
Seprona arrested a 28-year-old man over the fire started at Las Peñas de Riglos, which has already exceeded 5,500 hectares and forced the evacuation of 477 people.
Suspected perpetrator of Riglos fire arrested as flames threaten the Monastery of San Juan de la Peña
Seprona detained a 28-year-old man on Wednesday in connection with the forest fire declared on Monday at Las Peñas de Riglos (Huesca), according to sources close to the investigation reported to the EFE news agency and published by telecinco.es. The arrested man is at the disposal of the courts on suspicion of a forest fire offence.
During the investigation, agents from the Nature Protection Service of the Civil Guard identified a deposit of construction materials from works carried out on the A-132 road at the point of origin of the fire, which could have caused the flames to start.
The fire has already devastated more than 5,500 hectares and remains at Operational Status 2 Level 2 under Procinfo. Hundreds of personnel from various administrations worked through Wednesday night to consolidate defensive lines and halt the fire's advance.
Throughout Wednesday, the flames crossed the road in the area between Alastuey and Arbués, which required strengthened preventive measures and expanded access restrictions in the affected area. On Wednesday night, at approximately 22:00 hours, 100 people were evacuated from a campsite near Las Peñas de Riglos; the towns of Santa Cilia and Binacua were confined and the N-240 road was closed to traffic.
In total, the fire resulted in the evacuation of 477 people distributed among the municipalities of Villalangua, Salinas de Jaca, Ena, Centenero, Arbués, Alastuey, Bailo, Larués and Botaya.
The fire's advance towards the Old Monastery of San Juan de la Peña and the new monastery activated an emergency intervention to protect the historical heritage. Officials from the Government of Aragón and personnel from the Military Emergency Unit (UME) extracted the bone remains of the Royal Pavilion from the Old Monastery on Thursday, as well as other artefacts, including the clothing of the X Count of Aranda.
Sources from the Government of Aragón indicated to the EFE that the flames "have not reached either of the two monasteries", although they did reach their immediate surroundings and the protected natural area. The artefacts extracted as a precaution were transferred to the Museum of Huesca.
The operation was executed by UME personnel alongside a team from the Directorate General of Culture and Heritage in a second attempt, after having to abort an initial intervention due to the dangerous situation and the proximity of the flames. The new monastery, located in the Meadow of San Indalecio, was built precisely as a result of the fire that destroyed the old monastery—situated beneath a rock—in the seventeenth century.
Source: Google News PR — San Juan