Over one thousand hectares of bush and forests have been destroyed by fire during the first two weeks of December 2023. Photo: New Caledonia Fire Service Department
A spate of bushfires last week has left New Caledonia's main island with over one thousand hectares of charred bush and vegetation, but also fuming civil protection authorities who say most of the fires were due to negligence and criminal motives.
The fires mostly occurred in the greater Nouméa area, including near the La Tontouta international airport, as well as in Païta, Boulouparis and Saint Louis.
In Païta, over two hundred residents facing immediate risk had to be evacuated.
Overall, about one hundred fire fighters, supported by trucks and one water-carrying helicopter, had to be mobilised to fight the blazes for over a week.
Extensive damage near Nouméa-La Tontouta international airport. Photo: NC la 1ère
Civil protection authorities said the main causes of the blazes were a combination of dry conditions, winds and human origin.
Civil security director, General Frédéric Marchi-Leccia, said he considered that in the cases of arson, it was a priority to catch those responsible for those fires and that they should face the full brunt of the law.
On several occasions, eye witnesses have indicated they have seen people lighting fires again minutes after fire services had managed to contain and extinguish the initial blaze.
On some occasions, this happened in front of the fire fighters.
Since the beginning of 2023, a total of some twenty thousand hectares in New Caledonia have gone up in flames.
Several persons have been arrested for the past ten days, some of them caught red-handed, in the act of lighting fires intentionally.
One of them, he said, was responsible for lighting three bushfires that have destroyed a total of two hectares of forest.
He has been remanded in custody pending an appearance before the local courts.
Individuals found guilty of arson face a sentence of up to ten years' jail.
Even Kanak tribal chiefs have called on their own communities and villages to be more "responsible" in the face of "irreversible damage" caused by these bushfires to the island's biodiversity.