Between 10 and 20 years in prison is the maximum penalty that could fall to the author of the Sierra Bermeja fire, which has almost burned 10,000 hectares and has caused the evacuation of 3,000 people belonging to several surrounding municipalities, also causing the death of a forest firefighter.
Article 351 of the Penal Code establishes this type of penalties for the perpetrators of fires that affect a area of considerable importance, have as a result severe erosive effects on the ground, when the fire affects areas close to population centers or inhabited places, which significantly alters the animal or plant life conditions, or to some natural space protected.
A serious circumstance will also be considered when the arson match weather conditions or the terrain that increase its spread, or if they have deteriorated or destroyed the affected resources.
All these circumstances occur in this incident, which is already being investigated by the Environmental agents and of the Civil Guard, who continue to collect evidence on the ground. Mountains of litter with pineapples, on roads little traveled and in places with nearby parking, they seem sufficient indications to suspect that the fire it could have been intentional.
Environmental agents are currently preparing a technical-expert report that determines the intentionality, while the Civil Guard (SEPRONA and Gaucín barracks) has taken over the investigation, led by a court of Ronda, to locate the possible arsonist, who could also be sentenced to pay the costs of extinction.