China
17:15, 29-Jul-2017
French police investigate cause of wildfires after thousands of hectares damaged
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A police investigation is underway in France after wildfires devastated swaths of the French Riviera earlier this week.
Arson and acts of carelessness are suspected to be primary causes in many areas. Arrests have now been made in connection with some of the fires.
On Friday, two teenage boys suspected of arson were released without charge, following an appearance in court. The judge declared the two 16-year-olds "assisting witnesses,” which means they could be charged at a later date.
Life in the French seaside town of Bormes-les-Mimosas appears to have returned to normal, though the devastation from the fires that ravaged the nearby countryside remains.
The fires destroyed more than 7,000 hectares of land and led to the evacuation of more than 10,000 locals and tourists.