Massive wildfire near Paris forces evacuations, disrupts travel amid France heatwave

A large wildfire broke out in the Fontainebleau forest, around 60 kilometres (40 miles) south-east of Paris, on Sunday, prompting authorities to deploy firefighting aircraft from southern France as the blaze spread rapidly during a busy summer travel weekend.

Officials described the fire as "very virulent" and of "exceptional scale" after it tore through 800 hectares by early Monday, with flames continuing to advance. The wildfire also forced the partial closure of the A6 motorway, France's main north-south transport route.

Aerial firefighting operations were suspended after nightfall, leaving ground crews to continue battling the flames.

Evacuations and transport disruption

Around 15 homes were evacuated in the nearby village of Vaudoue, while firefighters worked to protect several neighbouring communities from the advancing fire.

Olivier Compta, who is leading the firefighting operation, said other villages would already have been evacuated had firefighting aircraft not been deployed.

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Nearly 400 firefighters were involved in the response as the blaze erupted just before France's July 14 national holiday and the first major weekend of the summer holiday travel season.

The wildfire disrupted road traffic across the region and also affected the high-speed railway linking Paris with southeastern France.

Eric Brocardi, from France's national federation of firemen, said it was the first time water bomber aircraft had been dispatched from the country's typically hotter and drier south to tackle a wildfire in the Paris region.

He added that two firefighting helicopters and an observation aircraft had joined the operation.

"The aim is to save lives and property," he said as firefighters continued efforts to slow the blaze.

Earlier in the day, emergency crews had also dealt with another fire that blocked a motorway east of Paris and disrupted a high-speed rail line serving southern France.

Heatwave fuels fire risk

The blaze comes as Paris and much of France experience their third heatwave since May, with soaring temperatures significantly increasing the risk of wildfires.

French rail operator SNCF said on Sunday evening that trains arriving at and departing from Paris Gare de Lyon were facing delays of up to six hours.

Among those affected was 34-year-old physiotherapist Kelly, who said: "It's global warming. It's the disruption of the seasons...there are political decisions to be taken."

The succession of heatwaves has shattered temperature records across several European countries and, according to estimates from Belgium, Britain, France and Spain, contributed to thousands of excess deaths.

The World Weather Attribution group said the June heatwaves would have been "virtually impossible" without climate change.

Fire season intensifies

The extreme weather has also forced French authorities to temporarily shut down three nuclear power stations, while organisers of the Tour de France shortened Sunday's stage by 30 kilometres (19 miles) as temperatures along the route approached 40C.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, who is due to visit Fontainebleau on Monday, said wildfires had already destroyed 17,000 hectares this year.

He added that once all figures were finalised, the total area burned would reach 25,000 hectares, "twice as much as the same period" in 2025.