French "wild' fires

[Bayleaf]

I'll include the devastation in Spain and elsewhere too. Scuse my language, but this is f*cking horrendous. So many fires - some by tragic accident during the excessive heatwave (and now drought) conditions. But the Pompiers still say 9/10 fires are started by humans - either by foolish carelessness or destructive intent. Throwing cigarette butts out of car windows still seems to be one of the worst culprits!

Farmers are being encouraged to carry fire extinguishers with them, and have a 2nd person on "fire watch" as they try to continue their valuable work.

I see all the warnings put up on media by the Préfectures - but many don't see or heed these precautions, especially holiday makers with their bbqs. Many 14th July celebrations have been postponed, or just not using fireworks (isn't it time we changed to drone displays? So much kinder on the planet in general?)

[Blaze]

Farmers in many departments/communes are being ordered to do their harvesting in morning or the evening but not during the afternoon - the times vary. Our commune isn't one of the 69 in Brittany with this restriction so it was with some relief that I saw the straw picked up and baled yesterday in the fields behind us and taken away today.

All firework displays in our department and neighbouring ones have been cancelled. Some have moaned that fireworks being let off by the sea shouldn't cause any problems. But with a strong north-easterly wind blowing, sparks could go straight back to the land. Safety first.

[Lori]

I read that 32 individuals have been detained for suspicion of setting fires. If they are guilty, I hope they are severely punished.

It's all really horrible. I watch the forest fire website for France throughout each day.

[Headers]

I read that 32 individuals have been detained for suspicion of setting fires. If they are guilty, I hope they are severely punished.

It's all really horrible. I watch the forest fire website for France throughout each day.

I saw a report on Fr2 yesterday
saying that some of those arrested are children. Shocking.

[Blaze]

I read that 32 individuals have been detained for suspicion of setting fires. If they are guilty, I hope they are severely punished.

With the unbelievably inefficient and slow French in-justice system, they won't. And in the case of children, neither will they nor their parents.

An 83 year old man knocked down and killed someone in Saint Malo. He was allowed to continue driving. 3 months later, he knocked someone else down in exactly the same place and the victim died in hospital. What did the old buzzard get ? A 3 year suspended sentence. That's all the courts felt 2 lives were worth. He should have his car crushed at least.

Sometimes the fires are started by disgruntled pompiers or people who just like starting fires. Unfortunately heavy sentences don't necessarily act as a deterrent but the perpetrators certainly deserve a stiff punishment. Perhaps clearing up the mess after a fire would show them the damage they do ...