PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2022) Twenty-five people have been arrested in France since the beginning of summer on suspicion of arson, which has been escalating the recent spread of massive forest fires across the country, the BFMTV broadcaster reported on Tuesday.
Of those arrested, four have been sentenced and six remain in custody, the French news outlet reported, citing a law enforcement source.
In July, heat and drought caused severe wildfires in France's Gironde, where fires destroyed over 20,000 hectares (49,420 acres) of forest. France spent 6.6 million Euros ($6.7 million) in 10 days to extinguish the wildfires.
Many EU countries, including Greece, Sweden, Germany, Poland, Romania and Austria, are helping France in extinguishing the fires. According to the European Forest Fire Information System, cited by Le Monde newspaper, 48,000 hectares of forest have already been destroyed by fires in France since the beginning of the year.
