The Forestry Corps staff has given a name and a face to the authors of the fire that devastated the reeds near the Santa Gialla Pond in Elmas, also causing the temporary blocking of the railway line. Three children aged just under 14 have been reported to the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office for arson. Since the beginning of April, a total of seven people have been identified by the Forestry Corps as perpetrators of fires.
The most serious is the one that broke out in Sarroch which affected over 140 hectares of forest, scrub and olive groves. According to the Forestry Department, the flames were inadvertently started by a pensioner who was unable to control the fire he had started to burn some branches. The man was reported for negligent forest fire.
“In the same days of April, in the countryside of Donors two agricultural entrepreneurs engaged in cutting down a forest have been reported for negligent forest fire – the Forestry Department explains -, again for an imprudent burning of branches which spread, causing the destruction of over 5 hectares of topsoil, of which 3 of forest”.
In May the most serious fire was the one that developed in Elmas which devastated 8 hectares of reed beds close to the Santa Gilla lagoon, deteriorating an important nesting habitat for protected species. Due to the thick smoke and to allow firefighting operations, the railway line was interrupted for a few hours.
The three minors identified were reported to the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office for arson: in the days before they had already attempted to start a fire in the same area.
“A further fire occurred on 18 May in the locality of San Priamo, in the countryside of San Vito – illustrated by the Forestry Corps – . In this circumstance the cause was identified in the anomalous functioning of an agricultural machine. The resulting trigger spread to a wooded area covering a total area of over 3 hectares. The Foresters intervened to make the area safe, also using the regional air service helicopter, which took off from the Pula base. The investigative activity continued with the seizure of the agricultural vehicle, as it was the cause of the fire. The operator was reported for negligent fire, as he did not ensure the efficiency of the operating machine, omitting the necessary precautions to avoid the ignition of flames”.
In terms of fire prevention checks, three administrative fines were issued for a total of 30 thousand euros.
“The Forestry Corps invites the population to scrupulously observe the Regional Fire Prevention Prescriptions – they explain – and urges citizens to collaborate, reporting to the Forestry Corps environmental emergency number 1515 any outbreak of fire and any circumstance deemed important to determine the causes and the identification of those responsible”.
Below we publish the QR Code that allows you to download all the prescriptions.
