Paris, July 14, 2026 – The Europe Today: French authorities on Monday battled two major wildfires that burned more than 1,300 hectares of forest south of Paris, forcing the evacuation of around 1,000 people and disrupting transport during the busy holiday weekend.
According to AFP, the first fire erupted on Sunday in the Fontainebleau Forest, a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve located about 60 kilometers southeast of Paris. Fueled by an intense heatwave, the blaze spread rapidly through the historic forest, prompting the deployment of firefighting aircraft and hundreds of emergency personnel.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the main wildfire had consumed nearly 1,200 hectares by Monday afternoon. A second fire broke out later in the day, burning an additional 100 hectares, bringing the total affected area to more than 1,300 hectares.
The fires disrupted rail and road traffic in the region as emergency crews worked to contain the flames. Authorities evacuated approximately 1,000 residents from communities in and around Fontainebleau as a precaution, while firefighters continued efforts to bring the blazes under control.
