420 people have been arrested in France on suspicion of starting forest fires – BBC
French authorities reported the arrest of 420 people, including 166 minors, on suspicion of intentionally or accidentally setting forest fires. Currently, nine out of ten forest fires in the country are caused by human activity.
Law enforcement officials have already handed down a number of sentences. In particular, a 23-year-old man faces up to 15 years in prison and a 150,000-euro fine for causing 10 fires in the Var department, while another man received a three-year prison sentence for arson in the Vosges region.
At the same time, some harsh rulings—such as the imprisonment of a homeless man and a man with autism for discarding cigarette butts—have drawn public criticism. The French government itself has also faced a wave of criticism for its lack of preparedness for the wildfires, which have already destroyed more than 120,000 hectares of forest this summer.
This was reported by the BBC.
Ukrainian rescue workers, who are helping their French colleagues fight the massive wildfires, rescued a small roe deer. The animal was found in the middle of a scorched forest with burned legs. Firefighters provided first aid and handed it over to local volunteers.
Forest fires in southern France have not only destroyed homes but also led to the discovery of an old cache of ammunition. In the municipality of Le Porge, about 400 shells and other ammunition from World War II were found. Some of them exploded right during the fire due to the high temperatures.
