Uncontained fire in Fontainebleau forest forces evacuations near Paris

Hundreds of firefighters were still battling two wildfires in the Fontainebleau forest south of Paris on Tuesday after flames tore through nearly 2,000 hectares and forced about 1,000 people to evacuate. The historic woodland, a UNESCO biosphere reserve about 60 kilometers from the French capital, remained uncontained as crews fought to keep the fire from spreading farther through Seine-et-Marne.

French authorities sent two waterbombing planes to the Paris region, an unusual step that underscored how quickly the blaze overwhelmed local resources. The fire also disrupted train traffic and part of the A6 highway, adding pressure to an area already strained by smoke, closures and the movement of evacuees. The first flames broke out on Sunday, July 12, and by Tuesday, July 14, officials still had no control over the fire.

Police arrested at least two people on suspicion of starting the Fontainebleau fire. Laurent Nuñez, France’s interior minister, said 59 people had been arrested across the country over suspected arson linked to wildfires, a signal of how aggressively authorities are pursuing possible deliberate ignition during a stretch of extreme weather. The Fontainebleau blaze erupted during France’s latest heat wave, which officials described as the third red-alert heat wave of the year.

The fire’s reach through one of France’s best-known forests sharpened concern over a threat that is no longer confined to isolated rural hillsides. Fontainebleau’s mix of dense woodland, historic significance and proximity to Paris made the evacuation and response especially sensitive, with emergency crews forced to protect homes, roads and transit links while working deep inside a protected landscape.

A separate wildfire in Spain carried a similar human toll. Forensic teams there were still using DNA samples to identify victims of one of the deadliest recent fires in the country, with authorities identifying five Britons, three Belgians, one French national and one Spanish national among those killed in Almería, in Andalusia. British, Belgian and French consular authorities were helping provide genetic profiles from relatives, while officials worked to complete identifications.