On 6 July 2026, officers from the emergency police unit stopped three people in the La Bedosse neighbourhood, in Alès. The group consisted of one adult and two children. They were in the immediate vicinity of a bush fire.
During the search, officers discovered three lighters concealed on one of the suspects. According to a statement from the Gard National Police, the police then took the three people into custody.
Three suspects admit to setting fire to vegetation
During the hearings, the investigators confronted the three suspects with the evidence gathered during the investigation. The three individuals then admitted to the offences.
A fourth person then turned himself in at the Alès police station. The police also took him into custody.
Fire in Alès: the investigation links the group to two other fires
The investigations have also linked the four individuals to two other bushfires. These fires had affected the area a few days earlier.
The courts have placed the four suspects under judicial supervision following their appearance before the public prosecutor’s office in Alès. They are due to stand trial at the end of summer 2026. Under the law, they are presumed innocent until a court has handed down a final conviction.