The accused of having caused the fire of Monte Naranco (Oviedo) in 2023, which forced the evacuation of numerous people and caused the death of animals and damage to numerous houses and structures, acknowledged the facts on Monday and served eight years in prison, the longest sentence so far imposed in the autonomous community for a forest fire crime, understanding that the life or integrity of the inhabitants of the area was in danger. Furthermore, the person responsible will have to pay a fine and related compensation to the injured parties and undergo medical treatment appropriate to their pathologies, according to the Prosecutor’s Office of the Principality of Asturias and the particular accusations.
The man, a 47-year-old resident of Llanera, had already been in prison for 21 months for these facts. At the time he carried out the tests, he suffered from a serious addiction to alcohol, cocaine and, to a lesser extent, cannabis, consumption which began at an early age and which he had abandoned since his entry into prison, where he received detoxification treatment.
The oral hearing was scheduled at the Second Section of the Provincial Court, located in Oviedo. The Prosecutor’s Office had initially asked for 13 years in prison.
The facts
According to the prosecutor’s report, around 1 am on March 31, 2023, the accused, driving a rented white van, Renault Traffic model, headed towards Monte Naranco, in Oviedo, where, with the intention of starting a fire, he applied a direct heat source, with a lighter or similar, in at least two areas of brush near the road, in a point near the restaurant in Buenos Aires.
Given the conditions that morning, which placed the risk level at five (extreme), the fire spread to a total of 99 hectares, affecting 50% of the tree mass of eucalyptus, 10% of the tree mass of other species (oak, chestnut, birch, beech, hazel, ash) and 40% of the Mediterranean scrub, mainly composed of broom bushes, heather, ferns and brambles.
The flames caused environmental damage worth 32,808.54 euros, in addition to expenses resulting from the intervention of the fire services, which were extinguished at 8.00 pm. on the same day, for an amount equal to 8,513.32 euros.
Following the fire, numerous people were evacuated from their homes due to the danger to their lives and physical integrity, in particular, in the municipality of Constante, in Casares, in the municipality of Arneo, in the municipality of Fitoria de Arriba and in Toleo, causing numerous damages to buildings such as chicken coops, agricultural fences, trailers, fodder, stable materials, water tanks and systems, palm trees and cypresses, roofs, household appliances, dovecotes, sheds, etc. in pets. The fire affected land owned by more than 60 people. Companies, the Archbishopric of Oviedo and the Municipality of Oviedo also suffered damage.
Subsequently, around 2.30 in the morning of the same day, the accused, with the same purpose, went to the town of Andorcio, Llanera, where he also applied a heat source on the litter in at least two areas close to the road from Portiella to Regidorio, near Andorcio, thus intentionally causing another fire.
This fire spread over a total of 8.6 hectares, affecting 70% of the forest mass of various species (eucalyptus, oak, chestnut, ash) and 30% of the Mediterranean scrub, mainly composed of broom, heather, ferns and brambles, all on a total of four properties and generating environmental damage estimated at 2,655.22 euros, in addition to expenses deriving from the intervention of the fire services for an amount of 1,442.02 euros.
The flames affected land owned by the Municipality of Llanera and several people, some of whom did not file a complaint. Following this latest fire there was no danger to people.
