Many areas of France have been burning for several days. A total of 162 people were arrested from different parts of the country in the 20 days from July 6 to July 20 on charges of negligence, and deliberately igniting fires.
French Interior Minister Sebastien Lecornu said this in a message posted on social media yesterday. With a warning, he said, “Law enforcement agencies have been specifically directed to identify those who are inciting fires. They will be tracked down, arrested and made to account for their actions before being brought to court.”
It should be noted that the outbreak of fires in France has started since the beginning of 2026. In the 7 months from January to July, a total of 13,566 fire incidents have been recorded in different areas of the country. In these fires, 1 lakh 16 thousand 85 hectares of vegetation in the country has been completely burnt and this is a record. In the 2022 wildfires, 72,000 acres of land were burned in France. It was the worst fire ever recorded in France.
He also warned that those who willfully instigate fires through arson, if found guilty, will be jailed for a minimum of 15 years.
Sebastien Lecornu said in Xberta, 9 out of 10 fires in France are caused by man-made causes. The risk of fire is increasing due to various reasons including unextinguished cigarettes, barbecue parties in dangerous areas, construction of buildings and infrastructure without warning.
Times BD/ Humaira
