Yesterday afternoon, thanks to a timely report from a citizen who had spotted an expanding column of smoke, the Operations Center of the Army of Carabinieri alerted the patrols of the Poggiardo station and the Forestry Unit of Otranto.
These, who promptly intervened on site, in the “Lampitedde” district in the countryside of Santa Cesarea Terme, found that the fire had already spread around two hectares of uncultivated land, arable land and olive groves.
Immediate investigations carried out by the Foresters made it possible to trace the person responsible, still in the area, who had set fire to the dry spontaneous vegetation close to a dry stone wall and then, with a favorable wind, the outbreak had invaded the land behind, with the risk of further propagation.
The Carabinieri then proceeded to refer the man, a 51-year-old, to the Prosecutor’s Office Republic of Lecce, in a state of freedom, charging him with the crime of negligent fire, pursuant to art. 423, paragraph 2, of the Penal Code, which carries a prison sentence of 3 to 7 years.
The flames, however, were put out thanks to the intervention of the civil protection teams and the Fire fighters.
Since 15 June, the date of activation of the period of serious danger for forest fires, as established by the Puglia Region, the Forestry Carabinieri have intensified and organized patrol services with the aim of preventing and repressing crimes.
Particular attention is paid to the most sensitive areas, such as that of Santa Cesarea Terme, whose extensions of pine forest and Mediterranean scrub have been repeatedly damaged in recent years, most recently last October, when, even after the season was over, the conditions of prolonged drought have favored dangerous fires near the town, with danger to the vegetation and the homes themselves.
