Video Misinformation: Italian Arson Mistaken for French Climate Protest

A video circulating online purported to show an individual deliberately starting fires in France to manufacture climate change concern. However, this footage was taken out of context and actually depicts an arson incident from 2025 in Avellino, Italy. The clip was shared with claims of environmental activism, but investigations by AFP confirmed its origin in Montemiletto, Italy.

Identical footage was published by Italian media in 2025, credited to the Carabinieri press office, detailing a fire that swept through Montemiletto. The suspect was identified after a vehicle near ignition points was captured on surveillance. While this specific video is misattributed, it is true that France has seen many human-caused fires during its 2026 wildfire season. Over 300 individuals were detained, with two-thirds suspected of deliberate arson. Acts of arson were also the leading cause of fires in France in 2025. Human-induced climate change intensifies these blazes through heat and drought, doubling the area destroyed by fire between 2000-2018 compared to earlier periods.