By The European Times | Created at 2026-07-29 10:17:46 | Updated at 2026-08-08 11:12:35
1 week ago
France has arrested 162 people in connection with suspected arson attacks linked to forest fires since July 6, as the country grapples with an unprecedented fire season, Interior Minister Sébastien Lecornu said.
“There have already been 162 arrests since July 6,” Lecornu wrote in X. He added that “security forces are fully mobilized to identify the perpetrators of the arson. They will be found, arrested and held accountable for their actions before the courts.” The minister said that since the beginning of the year, France has already recorded 13,566 forest fires or outbreaks, burning 116,085 hectares, exceeding the previous record of 72,000 hectares in 2022.
Lecornu pointed out that 9 out of 10 forest fires are caused by human activity, and most are the result of negligence – such as discarded cigarette butts, barbecues or construction work carried out without the necessary precautions.
He urged citizens to take preventive measures, including postponing construction work at high risk of fires, clearing vegetation around their properties and avoiding smoking near dry vegetation.
The minister added that some fires were deliberately started, stressing that arson is a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison under French law.
Illustrative photo: pexels-marco-allasio-2733664-9547376
