A volunteer firefighter has been placed under formal investigation in France for allegedly starting a massive blaze near Paris.
The incident, involving more than 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres), forced the evacuation of roughly 1,000 people and shut down France’s main north‑south motorway.
President Emmanuel Macron, who visited the site, emphasised that authorities would take no leniency toward arsonists.
France is recording over 11,000 fires this year, a spike linked to heatwaves that are twice as fast as the global average.
The volunteer, 18, initially confessed to setting twigs with a lighter and petrol, before retracting. A second 18‑year‑old was also placed under formal investigation. The French prosecutors point to evidence that the spark started the fire.
Climate change has pushed Europe to record‑breaking temperatures, fuelled by more severe heatwaves that make forests dry and flammable. In Spain, over 13 people have been killed by fires; in the UK, huge wildfires have scorched kilometer stretches of the Cairngorms.
While the fire has been contained, it remains unextinguished. The authorities have urged caution, emphasizing that prevention and swift response are crucial to protect both natural heritage and communities.
