Hainburg/Offenbach (dpa/lhe) – The police used a helicopter to search for a suspected arsonist in the Offenbach district. The approximately 25-year-old man is said to have tried to light a fire in a forest near Hainburg, as a spokeswoman for the responsible police headquarters in Offenbach said on Thursday. Although the officers combed the forest extensively and checked several people, there was initially no trace of the suspect. The police only found a prepared fireplace.

A walker had observed the man on Wednesday and alerted the police. According to the information, it is unclear whether the alleged arsonist is also responsible for the fires that have been set in the area in recent weeks. According to the German Weather Service, there is currently a “high risk” of forest fires (“Level 4”) due to the dryness around Offenbach.