Gérald Darmanin wants to create 3,000 “green policemen”

The announcement surprised representatives of the forestry world. 3,000 posts of “green constables“should be created to fight against voluntary fire starts in the forest. The idea comes from the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin. Patrice Martin, union representative at the National Forestry Office, finds it surprising. “Apart from communicating… We don’t see what’s in it. […] Forest fires, the best way to fight against, is that there are none. At no time is it about prevention, and that is absolutely catastrophic“.

A lack of prevention which is materialized by a reduction in the workforce in recent years. Before 1999, the ONF had 12,000 agents, whereas today it has only 8,000. A figure that should fall further by 2025. Nearly 500 job cuts have already been announced. A Senate report released earlier this month asks the executive to reconsider this decision.