474 PEOPLE DETAINED FOR STARTING FIRES

PARIS, AUGUST 14 /SRNA/ - French police have detained 474 people in connection with wildfires in the country since the beginning of July, unnamed sources familiar with the situation said.

Among those detained are 183 minors, BFMTV reported.

France's Ministry of the Interior said at the end of July that 70 percent of wildfires were caused by arson.

Europe is facing its worst drought in several years, with Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Greece among the hardest-hit countries.