PARIS, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- A man has been arrested in connection with multiple wildfire that ravaged southern French cities and triggered evacuation of hundreds of people, according to local report.
The man in his fifties, from a northern district of Marseille, was arrested and placed in custody on Wednesday in Vitrolles, BFMTV new channel reported.
A resident saw the man coming out of a thicket where a fire was starting, it added.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of fire.
Multiple wildfire which started on Wednesday in many towns, southern France, has destroyed 3,300 hectares of forest and forcing 500 people to quit their homes, according to the prefecture of Bouche-de Rhone.
"The situation is difficult because of the weather, with strong wind and a drought that lasted several weeks," said French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve.
Cazeneuve added "important air means," and 2,500 firefighters were deployed to fight against fire.
The minister also confirmed that four firefighters were wounded when trying to contain the blaze ravaging Herault department.
"Three of them are in absolute emergency,"he added.
In a statement released earlier on Thursday, the authorities in the prefecture of Bouche-de-Rhone said three people in Rognac commune were injured whiles many houses and industrial buildings were burnt.
