Eastern France Orders Cemetery, Park and Forest Closures Over Storm and Fire Risks

The city of Besançon announced the closure of its public cemeteries, parks and gardens from 14:00 on 31 July 2026 because of a severe weather alert issued by Météo‑France for strong winds and thunderstorms. The sites are scheduled to reopen on Saturday at 07:30, pending safety checks.

In the neighboring Auvergne‑Rhône‑Alps region, the municipality of Aix‑les‑Bains barred all public access to the Corsuet forest – covering 116 ha on the southern edge of the Chambotte massif – until 24 August 2026. The restriction follows extremely dry soils, an ongoing heat wave and a recent brush fire on 12 July that burned 2 000 m². Pedestrians, cyclists, equestrians and motorised vehicles are prohibited, and parking at picnic areas is also forbidden.

Both measures are part of heightened vigilance across eastern France, with yellow storm warnings for the Bourgogne‑Franche‑Comté departments and orange alerts for fire risk and heat in the region.