BARCELONA – A woman was arrested on suspicion of starting a series of ten forest fires, police said Wednesday.

The woman, who has not been named, has been linked to a fire which started in la Font de la Teula, at Pallejá, near Barcelona.

Police are also investigating if she was also behind another nine fires which were deliberately started during July and August.

More than 8,000 square metres of forest were lost in the blazes.

Sources at the Department of Environment said the woman was arrested after  forest wardens mounted a special operation in conjunction with police.

All the fires happened in parts of  la Font de la Teula, el Campo de Tiro, la Magina and la Pelada de Pallejá  near Barcelona.

Sources said much more land would have gone up in flames had in not been for the rapad intervention of the fire services.

The latest blaze started Tuesday night in la Font de la Teula and 500sqm of pine forest was lost in the fire.

But shortly after the fire started, police saw a woman fleeing the area and she was quickly arrested.

She was being questioned by the Guardia Civil.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news