Mystery surrounds Elche blaze

THE area by the Carretera Vereda de Sendres in Elche caught fire around 5pm on Monday, causing traffic cuts.

This is the same area in which fires break out at least 10 times a year under similar ‘suspicious’ circumstances.

It is possible that all of these fires have been started by the same person, although the motive is unknown, although it could be a pyromaniac or someone who wishes to damage the natural surroundings, Spanish newspaper Diario Informaction reports.

In Monday’s fire, there were various focal points that started around the same time and were separated by just a few hundred meters, leading investigators to believe the fire was started intentionally.

The blaze, which burn between 8,000 and 10,000 square meters of land and various palm trees in the El Hondo nature park, was extinguished by 7.15pm.

In the previous fire, which took place at the beginning of January, between 30,000 and 50,000 square meters of El Hondo Nature Park was burnt.