A 41-year-old man is being investigated for allegedly deliberately causing at least 24 forest fires in the Serra Grossa area, within the municipality of Alicante.
According to the Guardia Civil, officers from the nature protection service, Seprona, alongside environmental agents from the Generalitat Valenciana, launched an investigation at the beginning of May 2025. This followed the detection of several forest fires on the north-eastern slope of the nature spot, which is located very close to residential properties and inhabited areas, causing significant concern among local residents.
Initial inquiries indicated from the outset that the fires had been intentionally started using direct flames and accelerants, which increased the risk and speed of the flames spreading. Due to the repetitive nature of the incidents, officers set up a surveillance operation in the area and conducted various investigative efforts in collaboration with environmental agents, allowing them to identify common patterns across the different episodes.
Between May and August 2025, a total of 13 forest fires were recorded in the area. Following a period of inactivity, new fires with near-identical characteristics were detected at the start of 2026, reinforcing the theory that the same perpetrator was responsible.
The joint analysis of all gathered information ultimately led to the identification of the suspect. The Guardia Civil explained that the man was already being held at a National Police station after being arrested for unrelated matters when Seprona officers formally placed him under investigation for the forest fires. The case proceedings have been forwarded to the Environmental Prosecutor’s Office.
