Peter Wohlleben attributes Southern European forest fires to arson

German forester and bestselling author Peter Wohlleben has stated in a podcast interview that most devastating forest fires in Southern Europe are caused by arson rather than natural phenomena.

Speaking on Bettina Böttinger’s podcast ‘Zwischen den Zeilen’, Wohlleben argued that spontaneous combustion does not occur in forests. He dismissed common theories such as glass shards acting as magnifying glasses, noting that laboratory tests have failed to replicate such occurrences. He suggested that, aside from rare lightning strikes, fires are ‘practically always’ the result of intentional or unintentional arson.

Wohlleben also addressed the role of climate change, clarifying that the primary issue is extreme dryness rather than heat alone. He expressed profound concern regarding the destruction of homes, human lives, and the impact on wildlife during these large-scale fire events.