© picture alliance / NurPhoto | Samuel Boivin
Firefighters are having a hard time bringing the wildfire in Fontainebleau, south of Paris, under control. Two people have been arrested on suspicion of arson. Over the past few days, as many as 59 people have been arrested across France on suspicion of playing a role—whether intentional or not—in the wildfires.
The fire in Fontainebleau has already destroyed more than 2,000 hectares of forest, the equivalent of about 2,800 soccer fields. Police arrested an 18-year-old who was found with his hands covered in soot and a lighter.
Laurent Nuñez, the French Minister of the Interior, stated on Monday that 59 people have been arrested nationwide on charges of “intentional or unintentional arson.” Seven of these individuals have been placed in pretrial detention.
Severe penalties
If they appear in court, their potential sentences will depend on whether they were intentionally or unintentionally responsible for the fire.
Someone who unintentionally causes a fire risks a maximum of 2 years in prison and a fine of 30,000 euros, according to data from the French Ministry of Justice.
This penalty can increase to 5 years and a fine of 75,000 euros if the fire causes injury and total incapacity to work for more than eight days. The penalty increases even further to 7 years in prison and a fine of 100,000 euros if the fire causes the death of one or more people.
The perpetrator of an intentional arson faces a prison sentence of 3 years and a fine of 45,000 euros. This penalty can increase to 10 years in prison and a fine of 150,000 euros if one or more people died in the fire.
Picture: © picture alliance / NurPhoto | Samuel Boivin