France arrests hundreds over wildfire-related offenses

French authorities have detained 375 people, including 142 minors, in connection with offenses linked to the country's ongoing wildfires, BFM TV reports.

The report said 36 of those detained have been remanded in custody. Some have already been sentenced to prison terms, while others remain in pretrial detention as investigations continue.

The crackdown comes as France continues to battle an elevated wildfire threat fueled by hot, dry conditions. Authorities have declared a high wildfire risk across 36 departments, with emergency services remaining on heightened alert to prevent new outbreaks and contain existing blazes.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez provided an update on the wildfire in the southwestern Gironde department, which has burned nearly 42,000 hectares (103,784 acres).

He said the fire remained stable but had not yet been fully contained, with several hotspots still needing to be extinguished.

As the wildfire situation continues to improve in southwestern France, authorities have allowed thousands more residents to return home.

The Gironde prefecture said an additional 84,000 people could immediately return to their homes in nine municipalities near Bordeaux.

By Vafa Guliyeva