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The sentence for causing a forest fire can reach up to 20 years in prison

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Pyromaniacs are responsible for a large portion of the fires that have been devastating Spanish forests in recent days. The tens of thousands of burned hectares are, for the most part, irrecoverable, meaning the consequences of starting a fire range from environmental pollution to enormous economic losses.

Spanish legislation considers various factors when determining a sentence for arson. The scale of the fire or whether there are injuries or fatalities can increase or decrease the number of years in prison the perpetrator may face. In some cases, sentences can reach up to two decades behind bars.

So far in the summer of 2025, nearly thirty people have been arrested for starting fires. In recent hours, several individuals involved in the fires in Castilla y León have been detained, while a pyromaniac in Málaga was arrested for multiple fires set at the end of July.

Up to 20 years in prison

According to lawyer Ignacio Molins, in statements to La Sexta, if a person starts a fire that causes injuries or deaths, the sentence can reach up to 20 years in prison. In cases where the fire affects a forest without endangering human lives, the sentence may be up to six years in prison.

Thus, the direct impact on human life determines whether the perpetrator will spend many years behind bars. Conversely, if the consequences do not involve injuries or fatalities, the legal severity is much lower. In many cases, punishments are reduced to daily fines ranging from 10 to 100 euros, provided the damages are solely material.

The application of mitigating factors due to psychological issues is also key, as many individuals who start fires for sheer pleasure have an underlying disorder that drives such behavior. This means many offenders do not end up serving actual prison time despite the damages caused.

Nearly 30 arrests in two months

Since the start of summer, the number of arrested pyromaniacs had reached 25. In recent hours, the Civil Guard has confirmed the arrest of four more individuals, three of whom are linked to some of the most severe fires this week in the autonomous community of Castilla y León.

The Civil Guard has detained a man as the alleged perpetrator of a forest fire caused by negligence, which affected around 4,000 hectares in Puercas de Aliste-Gallegos del Río, Zamora. Another man is under investigation in the town of Filiel-Lucillo, León, for a fire that damaged 2 hectares.

Additionally, SEPRONA arrested a man in Ávila accused of intentionally starting a fire that ravaged 2,200 hectares in Cuevas del Valle, Mombeltrán, and El Arenal. In Málaga, a man was detained for starting up to six fires, burning around 200 hectares between late July and August 3.

Source:Infobae