French and European officials push for mandatory car fire extinguishers after Biscarrosse

After the Biscarrosse wildfires that burned 3,600 hectares and forced 30,000 evacuations, French firefighters and politicians are pushing to make fire extinguishers mandatory in private cars. A van fire that ignited vegetation sparked the disaster, and about 35,000 vehicles catch fire in France each year. Currently, only buses, trucks, and hazardous-material vehicles must carry extinguishers, not private cars. MEP Grégory Allione has asked the European Commission to consider mandatory extinguishers. Greece, Poland, Belgium, and Bulgaria already require them. Small models cost roughly 10 to 20 euros.