Three arrested in France over suspected arson amid massive wildfire

Authorities in southwestern France have arrested three men in connection with starting fires as the region grapples with a massive wildfire that has ravaged over 32,700 hectares and forced 167,000 people to evacuate.

The Gironda region's blaze, which began Wednesday, is the most severe of several fires currently burning across France. Two of the arrested individuals, aged 19 and 21 and employed in the restaurant sector, were detained in La-Teste-de-Buch. Prosecutors in Bordeaux cited by Franceinfo reported that they are accused of launching fireworks towards a highway and a sports complex.

A third man, 33 years old, was arrested on the outskirts of Bordeaux in Lormont for allegedly intentionally setting fire to bushes. These arrests occur as firefighters work to contain the inferno, which has already destroyed vast tracts of land and prompted widespread evacuations.

While the fire's intensity has somewhat decreased due to cooler temperatures and increased humidity, officials warn that a change in wind direction could worsen the situation. The prefect of Gironda, Sophie Brocas, noted that the fire is advancing towards Bordeaux. The scale of evacuations is unprecedented, with an additional 30,000 people displaced by a fire in the neighboring Landes department. So far this year, France has seen a record 98,000 hectares burn.

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This fire remains dangerous, but it has lost some intensity thanks to the decrease in temperatures and the increase in humidity.