Fontainebleau wildfire grows to 1 900 ha (4 696 acres) as firefighters battle multiple blazes near Paris, France

The Fontainebleau wildfire has expanded rapidly since Monday, with the burned area increasing from about 800 ha (1 977 acres) to at least 1 900 ha (4 696 acres) by Tuesday morning after a second fire broke out Monday afternoon in the Faisanderie sector.

Nearly 1 000 residents have now been evacuated as firefighters continue efforts to contain the fires, which remain uncontrolled. President Emmanuel Macron said all available resources had been deployed to combat what he described as “an exceptionally large wildfire.”

Police arrested two people Monday in connection with the investigation, including an 18-year-old man reportedly found with soot-covered hands and carrying a lighter. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said investigators were examining whether the fires were deliberately set after identifying about 10 ignition points within a 1 km (0.62 mile) perimeter.

Speaking during an evening television interview, Nuñez said 59 people had been arrested across France for deliberate or accidental arson, including the two suspects linked to the Fontainebleau fires.

Regional firefighters spokesman Paul-Edouard Laurain said more than 850 firefighters, supported by specialized aircraft, hoped to gain control of the fire on Tuesday. Commander Jean-Marc Sicard said 187 aerial water drops had been completed by Monday evening, but warned the wildfire was “still spreading” because weather conditions remained unfavorable despite a brief lull.

The response includes four Canadair aircraft, two Dash aircraft, three water-bombing helicopters, and military reinforcements, marking an unprecedented aerial deployment in the greater Paris region.

The Seine-et-Marne Prefecture said the immediate objective was to contain the fire before entering a suppression phase expected to last several days or even weeks.

As of Monday evening, officials reported more than 1 300 ha (3 212 acres) burned within the Fontainebleau massif, including about 1 200 ha (2 965 acres) around Noisy-sur-École, Achères-la-Forêt and Le Vaudoué, and another 120 ha (297 acres) in the Faisanderie sector. No fatalities or injuries have been reported and damage to buildings remains limited, with protecting residents and homes remaining the highest priority.

About 100 gendarmes from the Seine-et-Marne Departmental Gendarmerie Group and the Departmental Traffic Control Squadron remain deployed to evacuate residents, secure threatened communities, control access routes and protect evacuated areas.

A helicopter from the Gendarmerie Air Section at Vélizy-Villacoublay has also been searching for additional fire starts. During his visit on Monday, Nuñez praised emergency personnel, saying he commended “the courage, professionalism, and dedication of all those mobilized to protect the population, homes, and our natural heritage.”

Clement Boher, 37, said his family had remained on alert since smoke first appeared Sunday evening. “Like everyone else, we’re on standby, vehicles ready, and a backpack packed. All we can do is wait,” he said. Farmers continued assisting emergency crews by towing water cisterns with tractors, while nurse Cindy Fuyard returned to her evacuated home so firefighters could draw water from her swimming pool.

The A6 motorway remained partially closed on Tuesday, with mandatory exits at Ury for traffic toward Paris and at Cely for traffic heading south. Rail services between Paris and Lyon resumed after crews repaired infrastructure damaged by the fire. Authorities also maintained restrictions on access to parts of the Fontainebleau forest and temporary limits on certain agricultural activities because of the elevated wildfire risk.

Emergency resources were also deployed to other fires across Seine-et-Marne, including incidents at Barbizon, Ecrennes, Saint-Fargeau-Ponthierry, and Jouarre. The Prefect thanked municipalities, companies, farmers, associations, and other local partners supporting emergency operations alongside state services.

The wildfire is occurring during France’s third heatwave in less than three months, with high temperatures expected through the Bastille Day holiday.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said about 250 fire starts, including around 30 critical wildfires, were recorded across France the previous day. The National Gendarmerie said nearly 10 000 wildfires have burned almost 32 000 ha (79 074 acres) since the beginning of the season, while 44 suspected fire starters have been arrested in areas under its jurisdiction.

References:

¹ Incendies : points de situation – Préfecture de Seine-et-Marne – July 13, 2026

² Incendie en forêt de Fontainebleau : déplacement du ministre de l’Intérieur et mobilisation de la gendarmerie – Gendarmerie nationale – July 13, 2026

³ More than 1,900 hectares of Fontainebleau forest near Paris destroyed by wildfires – France 24 – July 14, 2026

Reet Kaur

I’m a science journalist and researcher at The Watchers, contributing to the Epicenter edition, where I cover peer-reviewed scientific research and emerging discoveries across Earth and space sciences. With a background in astronomy and a passion for environmental science, I’ve worked in shark and coral conservation in Fiji, conducting reef and shark-behavior research, contributing to mangrove restoration, and earning PADI Open Water and Coral Reef Certifications. I bring a blend of scientific rigor and storytelling to illuminate the discoveries shaping our planet and beyond.

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