Forest fires: 14 indictments, 19 arrest warrants

Santo Domingo.- The Justice Ministry on Monday announced 14 indictments and 19 warrants issued by various courts to arrest as many persons charged with arson in the forest fires across the country in the last two weeks.

Environment Office of the Prosecutor director Francia Calderon said one person was indicted in La Vega (central) for the fire at Loma Miranda, who will spend three months in pretrial detention and two in Pedernales (southwest) who will spend 30 days to await a hearing on charges of arson in the area of Sierra de Baoruco National Park.

Calderon said two suspects are being held on similar felonies in San José de Ocoa (south) since last week.

"We’ll designate a team of prosecutors together with the normal functions to do what we need better results in the investigation," the official said

No farming on charred lands

The Environment Ministry meanwhile on Monday warned it "won’t permitted under any circumstances" planting crops on forest lands affected by the recent forest fires.