The mystery remains.
More than eighteen months after the devastating fires in Gironde, no one responsible has been identified.
In mid-February, the Bordeaux public prosecutor requested a definitive dismissal of the investigation opened after the fire which destroyed more than 13,000 ha in July 2022, according to Sud-Ouest, which Le Parisien is in able to confirm.
The investigation concerned the fire called “Landiras 1”, named after this town in the Arcachon basin.
Starting on July 12, 2022 from a forest road around 4 p.m., the fire was not fixed until ten days later, on July 25.
A new fire broke out in the same place on August 9, destroying more than 7,000 ha.
In total, the fires in Landiras but also in La Teste-de-Buch burned more than 20,000 ha of vegetation, caused by arid weather.
Hundreds of residents and tourists were evacuated in a disaster.
The pugnacity of the more than 2,000 firefighters mobilized finally made it possible to contain the disaster.
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On July 22, the Bordeaux public prosecutor's office opened a judicial investigation for "destruction by forest fire", an offense punishable by 15 years' imprisonment and a fine of 150,000 euros.
A special investigation unit called "Research into the causes and circumstances of fires (RCCI)" worked to go back in time, looking under the ashes, analyzing the back of a piece of charred wood, to find clues and define the causes of the fire outbreak.
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In the months that followed, investigators considered several avenues, including that of a criminal act for the start of the fire on July 12.
A witness said he noticed a car leaving the scene before seeing flames on the shoulder.
A man was taken into custody before being exonerated.
In total, around ten police custody visits were carried out, as well as scientific analyzes and neighborhood surveys.
These investigations did not make it possible to identify one or more authors.
The file is not closed yet.
The investigation may be reopened in the event of new evidence or testimony until the end of the limitation period, which is twenty years.