Civil Protection volunteer arrested over eight wildfires in Gargano
A 33-year-old man from Vieste has been arrested on suspicion of deliberately starting at least eight woodland fires between July and September in the Gargano area. Video footage and environmental surveillance recordings incriminated the suspect.
Deliberate wildfires in Gargano: Civil Protection volunteer detained
A 33-year-old Civil Protection volunteer from Vieste has been arrested on suspicion of deliberately starting at least eight woodland fires in the Gargano area, according to rainews.it. The method used was simple: pieces of paper lit with a lighter and thrown into vegetation at the roadside.
The fires attributed to the man include seven incidents in Vieste — almost all in the Carabella area — and one in Peschici, in the Coppa La Macchia locality. The first episode dates to 31 July, the last to 3 September. In some cases the fires occurred within hours of each other.
The investigation, coordinated by the Foggia Prosecutor's Office and conducted by forest carabinieri, began after the initial July fires, which in certain cases had reached beaches and bathing establishments, forcing residents and tourists to undertake precautionary evacuations.
To gather evidence, the officers installed video surveillance cameras in the affected areas. The footage documented the passage of the 33-year-old's car near all eight subsequent fires, each time shortly before the flames developed. Environmental surveillance recordings made inside the vehicle then captured sounds considered consistent with crumpled paper and the use of a lighter, as emerges from the court order.
Environmental damage is substantial: the fires destroyed forests, pine groves, Mediterranean scrubland and at least one olive grove, for a total of tens of hectares destroyed.
Source: Google News IT — Crime (it)