France Detains 420 Over Wildfire Suspicions

By Staff, Agencies

French police have detained 420 people suspected of deliberately or negligently starting fires during a devastating wildfire season that has burned nearly 120,000 hectares across the country, according to the Interior Ministry.

Meanwhile, successive summer heatwaves and extreme temperatures across Europe have worsened the crisis. President Emmanuel Macron described the fires as potentially France’s worst since World War II.

Prolonged heat and drought have dried vegetation, allowing even small ignition sources to spread rapidly. More than 224,000 people were evacuated at the height of the crisis, while officials said human activity was responsible for nine in 10 wildfires.

The cases include suspected arson and fires linked to discarded cigarettes, barbecues, campfires, and other reckless behavior. Among those detained are 166 minors.

An initial review of 80 suspects found that 97.5% were male, with an average age of 32.5, including students, repeat offenders, and volunteer firefighters.

Authorities said the alleged motives varied, including revenge, financial gain, seeking attention, or challenging authorities. Experts cited by Le Figaro said clinical pyromaniacs account for fewer than 5% of fire starters.

One case involves an unemployed 23-year-old man accused of starting around 10 vegetation fires in the southeastern Var department between July 19 and 24. He was charged with destroying forests and scrubland by fire and causing irreversible environmental damage, facing up to 15 years in prison and a €150,000 [$175,000] fine if convicted.

Other cases involve a young volunteer firefighter who confessed to setting fire to twigs with a lighter and gasoline before retracting his statement, and a man who said he accidentally started a fire by discarding a cigarette. Both were indicted and placed in pretrial detention.

Bordeaux prosecutor Renaud Gaudeul told Le Monde that even throwing a cigarette butt or lighting a barbecue in wooded areas during drought can constitute endangerment of lives. Fire investigator Eric Dufayet similarly warned that during severe drought, “all you need is a simple lighter.”