A construction worker is facing potential criminal charges connected to the largest wildfire in Spain’s history, which erupted near Navaluenga, approximately 65 miles west of Madrid, on July 22. The man, who has not been identified, was detained by Guardia Civil officers following allegations that he caused the fire by operating an illegal digger.

Spanish authorities say the worker used the hydraulic hammer on the excavator to break through rocks, a process that generated sparks and ignited the dry landscape. The operation of such machinery during heatwaves is prohibited in the region, and investigators claim the individual lacked the necessary permits and that the equipment was not equipped with mandatory fire-extinguishing systems. The suspect denies having operated the vehicle and maintains that his presence at the site was solely to retrieve the machine.

Despite efforts to control the fire, which included calls for aerial support, the blaze spread rapidly into a ravine, eventually consuming approximately 193 square miles. The fire occurred alongside a smaller concomitant blaze and prompted the evacuation of some 90,000 residents. Regional president Alfonso Fernández Mañueco described the incident as a result of negligence and stated that the Castilla y León government intends to pursue legal action as a private prosecutor against the individual responsible. If convicted of causing a life-threatening fire through negligence, the construction worker could face between five and ten years in prison.

In a related development in southwestern France, authorities have detained 11 individuals, including a minor, in connection with a series of wildfires. The fires initially broke out in the village of Saumos, near Bordeaux, and have resulted in two people being formally charged with arson. French police continue to investigate the causes and extent of the damage inflicted by these separate incidents.