Deliberate act confirmed in major Collserola blaze
The Mossos d'Esquadra have concluded that the wildfire which broke out on August 25 in the Collserola mountain range near Barcelona was started deliberately. The fire scorched 56.9 hectares, marking the largest area burned in the natural park since 1994, according to investigators. Emergency services activated the Municipal Action Plan (PAM) following the outbreak, with the blaze originating on the high road of Roquetes in the Nou Barris district. Residents in Torre Baró and Ciutat Meridiana were confined during the afternoon, and 35 people were evacuated as a precaution. All evacuees returned home that night, and Civil Protection issued an official all-clear via the ES-Alert system on August 26.
Investigation continues despite no arrests
Despite confirming human action caused the fire, the Mossos have not yet identified or charged a suspect. They are still investigating whether the fire was premeditated or the result of negligence, a distinction that will determine potential penalties under the Penal Code.
We rule out any accidental cause. The origin was human, but we cannot yet attribute it to a specific individual.
A man was arrested by the Guardia Urbana on August 26 for setting fire to waste containers in the nearby Prosperitat neighbourhood, about 2.5km from the fire’s origin. He was released on bail after declining to testify before the Barcelona duty court. While he has a history of deliberate arson and is among several persons of interest, police stress there is no evidence linking him directly to the Collserola fire.
Recovery and prevention measures underway
The fire was fully extinguished on August 31, when the Ajuntament de Barcelona deactivated the PAM. The Rural Agents and Mossos continue joint investigations into the exact circumstances. In response, the Collserola Natural Park Consortium is now considering vegetation clearance in key areas of Barcelona to prevent future fires from spreading across the ridge into the forested northern slope. The move aims to reduce risk after this being the most severe fire in the area in 32 years.
Primary sources: ajuntament.barcelona.cat, Ajuntament de Barcelona. Reported by elperiodico.com, ARA, en.ara.cat, regio7.cat, elnacional.cat, elpespunte.es, english.elpais.com, El Periódico Barcelona.
