French firefighters on Tuesday are still fighting two wildfires that have so far ravaged more than 2,000 hectares of Fontainebleau forest, a UNESCO biosphere reserve near Paris. Police on Monday arrested two people suspected of starting the blaze that has forced some 1,000 local residents to evacuate.
Hundreds of French firefighters aided by water bombers on Tuesday battled wildfires that have ravaged a hugely popular forest outside Paris as another scorching heatwave keeps the capital in its grip.
The sprawling Fontainebleau forest some 60 kilometres (40 miles) southeast of the capital, is a former royal hunting ground now hugely popular with hikers and a magnet for climbers who come from around the world to tackle its famous boulders.
The fires that erupted Sunday have now scorched some 2,050 hectares (5,000 acres) – an area roughly three times the size of Gibraltar, firefighters said on Tuesday.
With some 850 firefighters battling the flames with the help of specialised Canadair aircraft, authorities are hoping to control the flames during the day, said Paul-Edouard Laurain, spokesman for the regional firefighters.
"With the help of the Canadair aircraft, in particular, that should be a goal we hope is achievable," Laurain said.
"We expect temperatures to remain the same, even though the wind will be lighter than yesterday (Monday)," he said, noting weather conditions – characterised by heat, wind, and dry air – have so far hampered firefighting efforts.
Read moreFrance's Fontainebleau forest serves as ‘laboratory' for climate change adaptation
France is sweltering in the third major heatwave in less than two months, with Paris expected to see temperatures of 35C Tuesday and a slight respite only awaited later in the week.
Risky environment
There are two main fires being fought, including one in the la Faisanderie area, usually thronged with visitors in summer, not far from the town of Fontainebleau.
A fire that broke out on Sunday has burned through approximately 1,600 hectares while the second, which started on Monday afternoon, "covered a significant area overnight" and now spans 450 hectares, according to Pierre Ory, the region's Paris-appointed prefect.
He nevertheless expressed hope both fires will be "contained" during the day.
France on Tuesday celebrated its national holiday, which is usually accompanied by evening fireworks.
With the new heatwave, many towns throughout France have cancelled their firework displays, but many are usually set off illegally.
This year's celebrations coincide with a World Cup semi-final in which France take on Spain in the evening local time and which will likely see fans spilling onto the streets to either celebrate or mourn once the final whistle blows.
The fires have forced some 1,000 people in and around Fontainebleau to flee their homes.
Two held
Authorities are probing whether the fires were started deliberately and two people have been arrested on suspicion of arson. One of the suspects is an 18-year-old man with no prior police record.
The forest sees 15 million visitors each year, making it vulnerable to fires – quite apart from its sandy soil and vegetation consisting of ferns and highly flammable conifers.
The scale of the fire led to the deployment of four Canadair water-bombing aircraft for the first time in the greater Paris region – as well as two Dash planes and three helicopters.
A total of 187 water drops were carried out on Monday, said the commander of the rescue operations, Jean-Marc Sicard.
According to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, 32,000 hectares across France have been hit by fires since the beginning of the year – more than during the entire 2025 fire season.
As well as the warmer south, fires have also hit cooler regions such as Brittany in the west where a fire that swept across 38 hectares of heathland on Cap Frehel has now been brought under control.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
