Almost ten months after the Corbières mega-fire broke out, the judicial investigation has seen a major breakthrough. According to reports from Midi Libre, an officer with the National Forestry Office (ONF) in the Aude department was placed under formal investigation late on Thursday 4 June. The man is being prosecuted for unintentional destruction by fire resulting in death, as part of the investigation into the fire that occurred in the Aude region in the summer of 2025.
An investigation focusing on the cause of the fire
The suspect, aged around 40, had been arrested on Tuesday morning with two other ONF officers by officers from the Montpellier Criminal Investigation Unit. The three men had been taken into police custody as part of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fire that broke out in the Corbières mountains.
According to details of the investigation reported by Midi Libre, the officer is suspected of having thrown a cigarette butt into a wooded area on 4 August 2025. Investigators believe that this action may have caused the fire, which then spread rapidly due to the wind and weather conditions that were particularly conducive to combustion.
However, the individual in question formally denies the allegations against him. His indictment now enables the investigating magistrates to continue their investigations in order to establish who, if anyone, is responsible in this particularly sensitive case.
A fire with tragic consequences
The fire of the Corbières It remains one of the most memorable fires in the recent history of the Aude. For several days, the flames required the deployment of significant fire-fighting resources, with reinforcements from fire brigades across many French departments.
In total, more than 11,000 hectares were destroyed. The disaster also devastated around sixty homes and had a profound impact on several local authorities in the region.
The death toll is particularly high. A woman in her sixties lost her life in Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, trapped inside her home as the fire spread. It is largely because of this death that the criminal charge brought relates to unintentional destruction resulting in death.
The investigating judge had requested that he be remanded in custody
At the end of his police custody, the Montpellier Public Prosecutor’s Office requested that he be placed under judicial supervision. The investigating judge in charge of the case, however, requested that the suspect be remanded in custody.
According to information revealed by Midi Libre, this request was intended, in particular, to prevent any possible reprisals against the suspect and to minimise the risk of collusion whilst the investigation was ongoing.
The final decision rested with the judge responsible for liberty and detention (JLD), who ultimately ordered his release under judicial supervision. Among the conditions imposed is a ban on entering the municipalities affected by the fire.
Furthermore, the two other ONF officers arrested in connection with this case were released on Thursday morning without any charges being brought against them at this stage of the proceedings.