Photo: Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock.com France is experiencing its worst wildfire season on record, with more than 116,000 hectares of land destroyed and thousands of fires reported across the country since the beginning of the year.
In a statement published on Monday, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the scale of the crisis has already surpassed the previous record set in 2022, when approximately 72,000 hectares burned.
"Our country is going through an unprecedented fire season: 116,085 hectares have already burned and 13,566 fire outbreaks have been recorded since January," Lecornu said in a statement.
The figures underscore the growing challenges France faces as prolonged heat, dry conditions, and strong winds continue to fuel blazes across several regions. Authorities have spent recent weeks battling major fires in southwestern France, including in the Gironde department, where thousands of residents have been evacuated.
According to Lecornu, the majority of fires are linked to human activity rather than natural causes.
"The fight against wildfires begins with prevention," he said. "Nine out of ten fires are human-caused and most arise from carelessness: a cigarette butt, a barbecue, work carried out without precaution."
French officials are urging residents and visitors alike to take extra precautions during the summer months. Recommendations include avoiding smoking near vegetation, postponing certain outdoor work activities, and ensuring that properties are properly cleared of dry brush and other combustible materials.
However, authorities say not all incidents are accidental.
"But not all these fires are accidents. Some are deliberately set: it is a crime, punishable by 15 years of criminal imprisonment," Lecornu added.
The minister revealed that French security forces have made 162 arrests related to wildfire offenses since July 6 as part of a nationwide effort to identify those responsible for intentionally setting fires.
"Security forces are fully mobilized to identify arsonists. They will be found, arrested, and held accountable for their actions before the courts," he said.
The announcement comes as firefighters remain deployed across several parts of the country. In the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, officials warned that conditions remain unfavorable despite progress in containing some of the largest fires.
France's record-breaking wildfire season has raised fresh concerns about the impact of climate change, public safety, and the increasing pressure on emergency services during Europe's peak travel season.
Spain is also looking at "a complicated summer ahead", with extremely dry forests, warned Andalusian President Juanma Moreno earlier this month. Over 90,949 people have been affected, more than 63,000 evacuated, and 47 roads have been closed, with a new heatwave approaching.