French police detain 420 people over devastating summer wildfires

French police have detained 420 people for allegedly starting fires deliberately or through serious negligence during a devastating wildfire season that has burned nearly 120,000 hectares across the country, according to the Interior Ministry.

France has experienced successive heatwaves this summer as exceptionally high temperatures have affected much of Europe. President Emmanuel Macron has described the wildfire crisis as potentially the country’s worst since World War II.

Prolonged heat and drought have dried vegetation, allowing small ignition sources to develop into fast-moving fires. More than 224,000 people were evacuated at the height of the crisis.

Officials said human activity caused nine out of ten wildfires in France. The cases include suspected arson as well as blazes attributed 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. The group included students, repeat offenders, and volunteer firefighters.

The alleged motives vary widely, with some suspects reportedly acting out of revenge, for financial gain, to attract attention, or to challenge the authorities. Clinical pyromaniacs account for fewer than 5% of fire starters, according to experts cited by Le Figaro.

One case involves an unemployed 23-year-old man who is accused of starting around ten 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. The suspect faces up to 15 years in prison and a €150,000 ($175,000) fine if convicted.

Other cases include a young volunteer firefighter who confessed to “setting fire to twigs with a lighter and gasoline” before retracting the statement, and a man who claimed that he had “accidentally started the fire by throwing away his cigarette.” Both were indicted and placed in pretrial detention.

“The conditions for a charge of endangering lives are met for those who throw a cigarette butt or light a barbecue in wooded areas. It only takes a tiny spark for it to start,” Bordeaux prosecutor Renaud Gaudeul told Le Monde.

“In periods of drought such as this one, all you need is a simple lighter,” fire investigator Eric Dufayet explained.