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2w ago

Wildfire Burns About 800 Hectares in Fontainebleau Forest Near Paris

The blaze has forced local evacuations, closed a main motorway and prompted the first use of water‑bombing planes in the Paris region, signaling heavy strain on firefighting resources during a severe heatwave.

Wildfires near Paris force evacuations, disrupt train lines and motorway
A view of the fire at Noisy-sur-Ecole near Fontainebleau, south of Paris, on Sunday night.
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Overview

  • The fire, which broke out Sunday late afternoon, raced through roughly 800 hectares and remained active into Monday with more than 400 firefighters working to contain it.
  • About 15 local homes were evacuated and parts of the A6 motorway and high‑speed rail services were closed or disrupted, with some train services returning to normal by Monday morning.
  • Officials deployed two Canadair water‑bombing planes that scooped water from the Seine and used helicopters by day, while aerial operations were suspended at nightfall.
  • Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said police are investigating possible deliberate ignition and warned this season has already burned far more forest than last year, increasing operational pressure on crews.
  • The blaze comes during France’s third heatwave of the summer and adds to a wider European fire season that has charred thousands of hectares and stretched emergency services, raising the risk of further travel disruptions and rekindling in high temperatures.