Seven people have already been reported to the judicial authorities for this crime.
Already in the month of April, several negligent events caused by imprudence have involved the Forestry Corps not only in the firefighting but also in identifying the perpetrators.
The most serious that occurred was the fire in the countryside of Sarroch which affected over 140 hectares of forest, scrub and olive groves. On this occasion it was ascertained that the cause of the flames was the imprudent burning of branches resulting from pruning by a pensioner on an extremely windy day. In fact, the firefighting operations were severely hampered by the wind, which at times prevented the Canadairs from flying. The alleged perpetrator of the offense was reported to the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Cagliari for negligent forest fire.
In the same days of April, in the countryside of Donors two agricultural entrepreneurs engaged in cutting down a forest were reported for negligent forest fire, again due to the imprudent burning of branches which spread, causing the destruction of over 5 hectares of topsoil, of which 3 were forest.
In the current month of May the most serious episode was recorded in Elmas in the Giliacquas area. The fire, which broke out on the afternoon of May 16, affected 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 nearby railway line was interrupted for a few hours.
The investigation by the Forestry Corps made it possible to identify the alleged perpetrators in a group of children, at least 3, all under the age of 14 who had already attempted to set fires in the area in the previous days.
The minors, who due to their age are not punishable, were nevertheless reported to the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office for arson.
A further fire occurred on 18 May in the locality of San Priamo, in the countryside of San Vito. 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.
Investigations aimed at ascertaining the causes of further fire events which affected the territory of the Metropolitan City of Cagliari and the province of Southern Sardinia are still underway
There is also intense prevention activity by the Forestry Corps, i.e. the verification of compliance with all the precautions provided for in the Regional Fire Prevention Regulations issued by resolution of the Regional Council and in force since 1 May in Sardinia. The regulations have the aim of making the territory safe to prevent the triggering and above all the development of fires, through a series of rules and conduct to be scrupulously observed by all citizens, to stem the serious phenomenon of fires.
There are already 3 administrative sanctions for a total of €30,000, contested for failure to comply with the provisions, in particular for burning carried out without the required authorization issued by the Forestry Corps.
The Forestry Corps invites the population to scrupulously observe the Regional Fire Prevention Regulations and urges citizens to collaborate, reporting any outbreak of fire and any circumstance to the environmental emergency number 1515 of the Forestry Corps.ency deemed important to determine the causes and L’identification of those responsible.
Below is the QR Code to easily access the prescriptions:
