Volunteer Firefighter Suspected of Starting French Forest Fire

A volunteer firefighter is facing an official investigation and has been taken into custody for allegedly starting a forest fire in the historic Fontainebleau Forest in France. The 18-year-old suspect initially admitted to using a lighter and petrol to ignite branches but later withdrew his confession, according to prosecutor Diane Ngomsik.

This investigation is part of a broader inquiry into the wildfires that have ravaged more than 2,000 hectares of the forest, located about 60 kilometers southeast of Paris. The blazes prompted the evacuation of approximately 1,000 local residents and led to the closure of the A6 highway, a major route connecting Paris to the country's southeast.

While firefighters managed to contain the fire by Tuesday afternoon, it has not been fully extinguished. France is currently experiencing another heatwave, with high temperatures exacerbating the risk and frequency of wildfires. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported that 32,000 hectares have already been affected by fires since the beginning of the year, surpassing the total area burned during the entire 2025 fire season.

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He initially admitted to burning branches with a lighter and petrol before retracting his confession.