As a severe heat wave leaves much of Europe vulnerable to wildfires, French authorities say they have arrested nearly 500 people suspected of starting them.
The blazes have damaged homes, prompted massive evacuations, left dozens injured and resulted in at least one death.
Here's what to know
Since July 1, French authorities have detained 474 people in cases tied to wildfires, including 183 minors, the interior ministry said, according to The Guardian. Officials added that about 70% of the investigations involve suspected arson and the rest are thought to stem from accidents.
Beyond France, serious fires have been spreading elsewhere in Europe. As reported by The Guardian, more than 2,000 residents evacuated their homes near Germany's Hürtgen forest, and in Greece, about 500 vacationers fled beaches as flames approached seaside resorts. Meanwhile, in Croatia, a blaze in Lokva Rogoznica killed one person, injured 40, and forced at least 1,200 people to flee.
And according to the European Union's Copernicus climate change service, large swaths of the continent were facing "very extreme" wildfire danger as temperatures rose well beyond historical averages, per The Guardian.
More background
No continent is warming faster than Europe, and hotter, drier conditions can leave forests and grasslands primed to burn quickly once a fire begins.
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Wildfires threaten lives through flames, smoke inhalation, and burn injuries, but they can also disrupt daily life by destroying homes, closing roads, damaging farms and forests, interrupting tourism, and putting added pressure on hospitals, emergency crews, and public budgets.
Authorities across Europe are relying on evacuations, aircraft, military help, and road closures as they try to stop the fires from spreading. However, preventing and punishing arson is clearly one tactic that France is pursuing after the most recent blazes.
It's a surprisingly important tactic as humans start a significant fraction of wildfires. In the United States, the National Interagency Fire Center claims that a whopping 88% of wildfires are started by people, rather than by nature.
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