The Guardia Civil arrested a 54-year-old man suspected of having caused the recent fire on the Loma del Gato, which lies on the border of Almuñécar with Ítrabo.

The said fire broke out on the 4th of December around 14.00h and was under control by 16.30h and declared extinguished four hours later.

The fire affected 11 hectares of hillside, as well as three dwellings and two people injured.

A team from the Salobreña, Guardia Civil post inspected the site of the fire and through their investigations found that the suspect had been welding an iron gate on his property and that the sparks had set light to nearby, dry vegetation and from there the fire had spread.

As well as the evidence found on the man’s property, the police also interviewed witnesses who confirmed that the arrested man caused the fire. They say that he had tried desperately to put it out but had been powerless to stop it spreading.

Ninety-five percent of hill/forest fires are caused by Man and the vast majority of them through negligence. For this reason the Guardia Civil recommend that where there is the most minimal doubt, do not light a fire to burn cuttings etc, especially under the present drought conditions and/or strong winds.

(News: Itrabo/Almuñécar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)