While fires raged over tinder-dry pine forests on the island of Gran Canaria, an aggrieved firefighter confessed he struck the match that started the blaze. Police detained a forest guard suspected of starting a fire on the tourist island that destroyed 3,500 hectares (8,600 acres) of woodland and remained out of control yesterday. Ninety people, including several children, were evacuated from the area on Saturday night, while more than 100 firefighters fought the flames with helicopters spraying water from the air.

Juan Antonio Navarro Armas, 37, told police that he had started the fire with matches on Friday night in protest at being offered only a temporary three-month post as firefighter. He wanted his contract, which started on 1 July, to be extended beyond the end of September. Mr Navarro alerted police from his mobile phone, and later called again to say that he had seen two boys running away from the scene. But under questioning he admitted he had started the fire, police said.
(By Elizabeth Nash, The Independent, 30/07/2007)