The Tenerife Prosecutor's Office in Santa Cruz has requested a five-year prison sentence for the man accused of starting a forest fire in the upper area of Los Realejos last year. The blaze, which posed significant environmental risks, was swiftly contained by firefighting teams.
In addition to the prison term, the prosecution is demanding he pay €35,000 to the Cabildo of Tenerife, €4,200 to the fire brigade, and €1,700 to the Canary Islands Government as compensation. He is also expected to cover any additional environmental restoration costs as determined by the court.
The trial is scheduled to last three days next week, with the defendant facing charges of committing a particularly severe fire offence. This is not the first time the man has faced such allegations; he was previously sentenced to one year in prison and barred from the fire site for two years for a similar offence.
According to the prosecution, the accused allegedly ignited the fire in July 2023 using a lighter. He entered about 15 metres into an agricultural track and set fire to dense shrubbery on an abandoned farm. The fire spread rapidly due to the intense heat, low humidity, and highly flammable conditions, eventually reaching the nearby Los Dornajos ravine.
The flames also engulfed a farm building, prompting a hasty evacuation of the livestock inside. At the time, the Canary Islands Government had declared a maximum fire alert, necessitating stringent fire prevention measures.
Local residents detected the fire shortly after it started and alerted authorities and emergency services. The fire was eventually controlled thanks to the prompt response of firefighters, ground resources from the Cabildo and Canary Islands Government, and three helicopters stationed on the island. This quick intervention prevented the fire from reaching approximately 27 homes located about 100 metres from where it started.
The fire burned 26,000 square metres of vegetation, including ferns and brambles, and threatened to spread into the protected area of the Corona Forest, less than half a kilometre away. While the environmental damage has not been fully assessed, property owners have not claimed any compensation.
The prosecution notes that the accused has a low intellectual coefficient, which does not impair his intelligence or will. Authorities found 25 lighters, 21 unused candles, 4 used candles, 113 pieces of toilet paper, and 2 bottles of methanol at his residence, among other potential fire-starting items.
The accused has been held in provisional custody without bail since his arrest.
