Fontainebleau, France. Firefighters worked overnight to contain a wildfire in the historic forest near Paris that had burned 1,300 hectares, while at least two people were arrested on suspicion of starting the blaze.
Emergency response
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said late on Monday that the main fire in Fontainebleau, along with another nearby blaze that began on Monday afternoon, remained out of control.
The fire was several kilometres from the Palace of Fontainebleau, prompting the deployment of substantial resources, including water-carrying aircraft and helicopters.
Canadair aircraft drew water from the River Seine for the first time on Monday as crews sought to contain the fire, which darkened the sky.
Evacuations and disruption
The blaze, about 70 kilometres from Paris, led to the closure of the A6 motorway linking the capital with Lyon and southern France. Smaller fires in the area also disrupted high-speed rail services.
Up to 900 people were evacuated from their homes.
Wider fire season
Nunez said the Fontainebleau fire was contributing to what could become a historic year for wildfires in France. Some 32,000 hectares have burned across the country so far this year, exceeding the total recorded in 2025.
“We’ll probably have a record year,” he said, citing major drought conditions.
Europe is experiencing its third heatwave of the summer, with dry vegetation and high temperatures contributing to fires from the Iberian Peninsula to France. Scientists have said climate change is making wildfires more frequent and harder to fight.
Nunez said 59 people had been arrested across France on suspicion of starting fires. About half were adults and half were minors, and some were repeat offenders, he said.