Benalmádena Local Police identify alleged perpetrators of repeated fires on Mount Calamorro

The suspects are two minors who admitted their involvement after being located by officers on the mountain, where several recently lit campfires were found still warm

Tony Bryant

Benalmádena Local Police have identified the two individuals allegedly responsible for a series of deliberate fires on Mount Calamorro. The suspects are two minors who admitted their involvement after being located by officers on the mountain, where several recently lit campfires were found still warm. Matches and cigarette lighters were also recovered from their backpacks.

The identification followed a special wildfire prevention operation that the Local Police have been carrying out over recent weeks. The operation has made extensive use of new technology, with the police drone unit playing a crucial role.

Following the first reports of fires on Mount Calamorro, the drone unit conducted a series of preventive surveillance flights over the area. During the early hours of Saturday 18 July, the thermal imaging camera on one of the drones detected the presence of two individuals in the area. Officers were immediately deployed to the location, where they identified the two minors.

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  • The incident comes at a time of high wildfire risk across the region. When the alleged offenders were located, windy conditions were further increasing the danger of a fire spreading rapidly.

    Mayor Juan Antonio Lara praised the work of the Local Police, saying their swift intervention had "almost certainly prevented more serious damage to the Mount Calamorro and Cañada del Lobo area, a place of outstanding environmental importance that is enjoyed by both residents and visitors".

    The Local Police will continue the preventive operation throughout the months of greatest wildfire risk, using drone technology and other advanced resources to monitor areas that would otherwise be difficult to access.

    The town hall is urging residents and visitors to exercise the utmost caution during the wildfire season and thanked the public for their continued cooperation in reporting any suspicious or irresponsible behaviour that could pose a fire risk.

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