Corbières Fire: Three National Forest Office Agents in Police Custody, Cigarette Butt Lead Under Investigation
Ten months after the megafire that ravaged 11,000 hectares in Aude, three National Forest Office agents have been taken into police custody. The hypothesis of a cigarette butt thrown from a patrol vehicle is being studied.
Aude Megafire: Three National Forest Office Foresters Detained, Investigation Takes New Turn
Three agents of the National Forest Office (ONF) in Aude have been taken into police custody on Tuesday morning by gendarmes from Montpellier's research section, according to midilibre.fr. The detention comes ten months after the megafire of 4 and 5 August 2025 which had spread across 16,000 hectares and destroyed 11,000 hectares on the municipality of Ribaute.
Simultaneous searches were conducted at ONF facilities in Carcassonne, according to a source close to the case cited by midilibre.fr.
Hypothesis of a Cigarette Thrown from an ONF Patrol Vehicle
According to a source close to the investigation, investigators are examining the lead that a cigarette butt was thrown from the window of an ONF patrol vehicle. However, it has not yet been established whether these agents are actually responsible for starting the fire. "These individuals have been detained as part of a working hypothesis," warns a source close to the case. The outcome of the custody period will need to determine their involvement or otherwise.
Investigation Opened for Involuntary Destruction Resulting in Death
From mid-August 2025, gendarmes had taken charge of the investigation into the fire's origin, in coordination with the unit for investigating the causes and circumstances of fires (RCCI). The Montpellier prosecutor's office, which has territorial jurisdiction, had opened a judicial investigation for "involuntary destruction resulting in death": one person had died in their home destroyed by the flames.
Since investigations began, one certainty had emerged: the fire was not of natural origin, ruling out notably lightning. After a month of in-depth analysis, using among other methods specialised dogs, no trace of hydrocarbons had been detected at the site where the fire started.
A Case Followed Discreetly
The detention of the three agents took place in the utmost discretion, according to a source close to the case confirming information from France 3 Régions. Their placement in police custody nevertheless represents a turning point in an investigation which, until now, had produced no public accusations.
The Corbières fire, described as the "fire of the century", had marked the summer of 2025 by its unprecedented scale in the Aude department.
Source: Google News LU FR