Hundreds Arrested as French Government Seeks Arsonists for Catastrophic Wildfires

French law enforcement agencies have apprehended 287 individuals this summer in connection with the devastating wildfires that consumed vast swathes of land across the country. Prosecutors have since initiated 77 separate investigations, leading to 35 convictions for fire-related offences, as the government continues to attribute the destruction largely to human activity.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin stated that the majority of fires were