Wildfires rage near Paris, trigger evacuations and major travel disruptions amid heatwave

A "virulent" wildfire of "exceptional scale" has broken out in France's historic Fontainebleau Forest located roughly 60 kilometers southeast of Paris.

As informed by authorities the fire erupted in the late afternoon on Sunday, July 12. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that authorities are strongly investigating arson, as they discovered about 10 different ignition points within a small 1,000-meter perimeter.

Driven by strong winds, the blaze quickly exploded in size.By Monday morning, the fire had already scorched over 800 hectares (nearly 2,000 acres). Wildfires of this scale are highly unusual for northern France.

As the paris region is baking under its third intense heatwave of the summer with temperatures soaring past 40C(104 F) across parts of country, the historic royal forest was a "Power keg or flashpoint" to catch fire instantly.

The fires disrupted train lines and forced the partial closure of the A6 motorway, which connects the north and south of France.

Moreover, Fifteen homes had to be evacuated in the nearby village of Vaudoue.

About 400 firefighters mobilised to contain the fires across several Eric Brocardi, of France’s national federation of firemen, said this was the first time fire-bombing planes had to be sent from the hotter and drier south of France to extinguish fires in the Paris region.

Brocardi added that two firefighting helicopters and an observation aircraft were also sent to contain the fire.

Towns in the area, and authorities sent two waterbombing planes on Monday to tackle the blazes.

The ongoing heatwave in France has forced officials to shut down three nuclear power stations.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said that forest fires had already consumed 17,000 hectares (42,008 acres) of land this year, “twice as much as the same period” in 2025, he added.

Scientists from the World Weather Attribution group said that recent heatwaves would have been “virtually impossible” without climate change.