Paris Forests Blaze: Heatwave Fuels 800 Hectare Fire

A large and "very virulent" fire erupted late Sunday afternoon in the Fontainebleau forest, located about 60 kilometers south-east of Paris. The blaze rapidly spread across 800 hectares and continued to grow early Monday morning. This event occurred during France's third heatwave since May, exacerbating fire risks across the country. "Exceptional scale" is how officials described the fire.

Efforts to combat the flames were hampered by nightfall, forcing firefighting aircraft to suspend operations. Around 400 firefighters worked to contain the blaze, which threatened several towns and led to the evacuation of approximately 15 homes in the nearby village of Vaudoue. The fire also caused significant disruptions to transportation, including partial closure of the A6 highway, a major artery, and delays on the high-speed rail line leading south.

This incident is particularly notable as it's the first time fire bomber planes, typically operating in the hotter south, were deployed to the Paris region. France has already seen 17,000 hectares consumed by forest fires this year, with projections indicating this figure could reach 25,000 hectares, double that of the same period in 2025. The ongoing heatwaves have also led to the shutdown of three nuclear power stations and shortened stages of the Tour de France.