Macron pledges replanting and zero tolerance after devastating Fontainebleau forest fire

A wildfire in the historic Fontainebleau forest south of Paris burned roughly 2,000–2,050 hectares, about 10% of the 20,000‑hectare domain, and forced the evacuation of around 1,000 residents. More than 800 firefighters, several water‑bombing aircraft and other emergency crews were deployed, and the blaze was declared contained but not fully extinguished.

President Emmanuel Macron visited the site, thanked the responders and announced a national fundraising campaign to replant the forest, coordinated by the Fontainebleau municipality, the National Forest Office and the Fondation du Patrimoine. He warned that the summer would be “hard” and promised “zero tolerance” for arson, noting that the fires were the worst in France since World War II.

Investigators have detained at least two 18‑year‑old suspects – a volunteer firefighter and a law student – for allegedly starting separate fires, and several other arrests are linked to the blaze. The incident has sparked a political debate over the shortage of Canadair water‑bombing aircraft, with opposition parties accusing the government of cutting the fleet, while Macron defended the relaunch of production through European cooperation.

Across France, the heatwave has driven a record numbers of fires, with about 35,000 hectares burned nationwide and roughly 11,000 incidents reported by mid‑July.