French firefighter confesses to arson in Fontainebleau forest blaze

A volunteer firefighter has confessed to intentionally starting a massive wildfire in the Forest of Fontainebleau, a popular recreational area south of Paris. The man admitted to using a lighter and gasoline to ignite brush, according to prosecutor Diane Ngomsik. The fire, which erupted Sunday, has now scorched over 2,000 hectares of the forest, often called the "green lung" of Paris.

Six suspects were taken into police custody in connection with the blaze. One individual confessed to accidentally starting a fire by discarding a cigarette butt. Firefighters continue to battle the flames, which remain uncontrolled. Four Canadair water-bombing aircraft are assisting, scooping water from the Seine River. Approximately 1,000 people have been evacuated from the affected region, with around 850 firefighters deployed.

The Forest of Fontainebleau, spanning about 25,000 hectares, is grappling with two major fire fronts. The ongoing wind exacerbates the situation, causing the fire to flare up repeatedly amid extremely dry vegetation and soil. France is enduring its third heatwave of the year, with 42 out of 101 departments under the highest drought warning. This severe dryness has contributed to a significant increase in wildfires, with 32,000 hectares destroyed so far this year, more than double the total for last year.

Authorities have detained dozens of people nationwide on suspicion of deliberately starting fires or igniting them through negligence, such as discarding cigarette butts. Scientists attribute the increasing intensity and frequency of heatwaves, which fuel wildfires, to human-caused climate change. The extreme heat has also led to the temporary shutdown of three nuclear reactors and reduced output from seven others to prevent their warm cooling water from further heating rivers. Paris postponed celebrations for the eve of its National Day due to the high temperatures.