French police have arrested 162 individuals since the beginning of July on suspicion of deliberately starting forest fires, according to reports from NRK.
Interior Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed the scale of the operation, stating that record amounts of forest land have been destroyed this year and vowing that those responsible will be identified and prosecuted.
The crackdown intensifies as France contends with what officials describe as its most significant wildfire crisis to date.
Earlier this month, three men were taken into custody in southern France, with two facing charges for allegedly setting off fireworks that sparked blazes.
Those initial arrests highlighted the growing concern over human-caused ignitions during the peak of the summer heatwave.
While the primary focus remains on public safety and environmental damage, the scale of the fires poses potential risks to regional logistics and agricultural output.