Emmanuel Macron stated there will be no leniency for the arsonists responsible for the large forest fire south of Paris.
President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that authorities will show no leniency toward the individuals responsible for the recent forest fire south of Paris. The blaze, which occurred in the Fontainebleau forest, has burned more than 2,000 hectares and forced the evacuation of approximately 1,000 people. While the fire is currently contained, it has not been fully extinguished. A volunteer firefighter has been placed under formal investigation for allegedly starting the fire with a lighter and petrol. The fire has impacted the country's main north-south motorway and affected the Palace and Park of Fontainebleau, a Unesco World Heritage site. President Emmanuel Macron noted that France has seen more fires since World War Two due to unusual heatwaves. While the fire destroyed 10% of the forest, the President praised the fact that there have been no victims so far. The region has registered nearly 11,000 fires since the start of the year as climate change continues to drive up global temperatures.