Fires in Fontainebleau: two men aged 18 and 20 arrested, one with a lighter and his hands covered in soot

Two men, aged 18 and 20, were arrested after Several fires broke out in the Fontainebleau forestThe younger man, who had no prior record with the police or judicial authorities, was found with a lighter and his hands covered in soot when he was arrested. The second man, already known to law enforcement, was spotted near the fire in the Faisanderie area. Investigators are now trying to determine their exact role in the fires that have ravaged more than 1,900 hectares of the mountain range.

A young man was arrested with a lighter.

The first suspect was arrested on Monday, July 13, around 16 p.m. Aged 18, he had no prior criminal record. During his arrest, law enforcement officers discovered a lighter on him. His hands were also covered in soot. He was then handed over to the gendarmes in charge of investigating the various fires reported in the mountain range.

These physical elements must now be examined and compared with the findings made at the fire sites. The presence of a lighter and soot alone is not sufficient to prove criminal liability. Interviews, the suspect's movements, his phone records, and any available CCTV footage will help clarify the circumstances of his arrest.

A second suspect was reported near the Pheasantry

Another man was arrested Monday around 22:30 p.m. Witnesses had reported an individual behaving suspiciously near the site of the fire in the Faisanderie area, close to Fontainebleau. The suspect, a 20-year-old known to police, was taken into custody as part of the investigation into possible arson.

This fire started Monday afternoon, about five kilometers from the main blaze that broke out Sunday near the A6 motorway. By evening, it had already burned through approximately 100 hectares. Investigators are working to determine if the two fires share a common origin and if the individuals arrested can be linked to one or more of the starting points.

Around ten fires broke out in a small area.

Initial findings reinforced suspicions of arson. Around ten points of origin were identified within a radius of approximately one kilometer, notably along a road bordering the forest. Several fires were observed close to one another, almost simultaneously.

The Fontainebleau prosecutor reiterated that no hypothesis had been ruled out. Expert analysis will need to determine whether certain fires resulted from embers being thrown, carelessness, an accident, or deliberate acts. The two men arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

More than 1,900 hectares ravaged by flames

By Tuesday morning, fires had burned through more than 1,900 hectares in the Fontainebleau forest. The first fire started Sunday in the late afternoon near the A6 motorway. A second blaze broke out Monday in the Faisanderie area. Nearly 1,000 people were evacuated as a precaution in the threatened towns and villages.

Approximately 850 firefighters were deployed, including 650 from other departments. Four water bomber aircraft, accompanied by helicopters, participated in the operations. Canadair water bombers scooped water from the Seine, a first for an operation of this scale in the Île-de-France region. Air operations, suspended overnight, resumed Tuesday morning.

The heat, dry air, and wind fueled the spread of the flames. The forest contains vast areas of ferns, conifers, and withered vegetation. The massif covers approximately 25,000 hectares and welcomes nearly 15 million visitors each year. Part of a strict biological reserve was affected.

59 people have been arrested in France since the start of the fires.

The two arrests in Fontainebleau bring to 59 the number of people apprehended in France in cases of arson or accidental fires. The total includes 30 adults and 29 minors. Those arrested range from individuals suspected of arson to those presumed to have caused a fire through carelessness.

Seven people have been placed in pretrial detention pending their trial after admitting to arson. Laurent Nuñez also reported that some of the suspects arrested since the start of the wave of fires were repeat offenders.

Two teenagers, aged 14 and 15, were arrested Monday evening in Vernou-la-Celle-sur-Seine, also in Seine-et-Marne. They are suspected of starting a fire that burned approximately 150 square meters of vegetation. They have been taken into custody.