James Waterhouse

France has arrested 420 people, including 166 minors, over wildfires that have damaged more than 300,000 acres, but experts say deliberate arson accounts for only a small share of incidents. Most fires are believed to be accidental, caused by cigarette butts, barbecues, construction activity or faulty equipment, with drought and rising temperatures making ignition and spread easier. Lawyers and Le Monde criticize the speed, lack of detail and apparent severity of some prosecutions, while officials argue that even minor negligence can endanger lives. President Emmanuel Macron says France must adapt its forests to climate change and rebuild, although public concern remains over the damage to homes, tourism, businesses, air quality and the environment.

France has arrested 420 people, including 166 minors, over wildfires that have scorched more than 300,000 acres during the country’s most damaging fire season since World War Two. While officials emphasize that nine out of ten French wildfires are human-caused and prosecutors defend tough action against deliberate and accidental ignition, lawyers and Le Monde question whether the arrests were adequately investigated and whether some prosecutions are disproportionate. Experts say most fires are accidental, often linked to cigarettes, barbecues, construction or faulty equipment, while deliberate arson represents a smaller share. The fires have intensified scrutiny of France’s preparedness, as continued drought and another heatwave threaten further environmental, economic and public-health damage.