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Fontainebleau forest blaze burns 2,000 ha, prompting evacuations and arson arrests
In mid‑July 2026 a wildfire ripped through the historic Fontainebleau forest south of Paris, burning more than 2,000 hectares of woodland. Roughly 1,000 residents were evacuated and the A6 motorway was closed for several days. About 800‑950 firefighters, supported by water‑bombing aircraft and helicopters, fought the blaze, which authorities say remains “fixed” but not fully extinguished, with hot spots expected to smoulder for weeks.
Investigations led to six suspects being placed in custody, including a 18‑year‑old volunteer firefighter who admitted lighting twigs with a lighter and gasoline. Two other youths confessed to accidental ignitions, one with a cigarette. President Emmanuel Macron visited the site, warned that the summer fire season was the worst since World War II, pledged to replant the forest and launched a fundraising campaign with local and national agencies.
The fire has highlighted arson risks during an extreme heatwave, prompted temporary restrictions on forest access in nearby departments, and raised concerns about possible sparks from road‑work equipment as a cause.