Fontainebleau blaze burns 800 hectares as arson probe opens; Spain's Almería fire death toll reaches 13
A wildfire burning in the Fontainebleau forest, roughly 60 kilometres southeast of Paris, had scorched approximately 800 hectares by Monday morning and remained uncontained, according to Seine-et-Marne prefect Pierre Ory. President Emmanuel Macron described the blaze, which erupted Sunday afternoon, as being of "exceptional magnitude."
The fire's location marks a departure from France's usual wildfire geography. According to Eric Brocardi, spokesperson for the national firefighters' federation, two Canadair water-bomber aircraft were redeployed from southern France to draw water from the River Seine — the first time in French history such aircraft have operated in the Paris region. The deployment follows France's June heatwave that killed roughly 1,000 people and pushed Paris to a record 42.6°C.
Evacuations, arson probe, and travel disruption
Approximately 400 to 500 firefighters were battling the Fontainebleau fire as of Monday, with roughly 900 residents evacuated and about 200 people confirmed safe, per local authorities. No injuries or destroyed homes have been reported. The A6 motorway, France's principal north-south route, was partially closed, and SNCF reported high-speed rail delays of up to six hours on Sunday after fire damaged trackside cables between Paris and Lyon; the operator said repairs were completed by Monday.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, visiting the site, said investigators identified approximately 10 separate ignition points within a 1,000-metre radius — a pattern he said "suggests that it could have been deliberately set." A gendarmerie arson investigation is underway. Nuñez noted that roughly 25,000 hectares have burned in France so far in 2026, "twice as much as the same period in 2025."
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The wider picture
EU monitoring group EFFIS recorded roughly 170,000 hectares burned across the bloc by early July — more than double the seasonal average, though below 2025's record pace. France's civil security director-general, Julien Marion, and Interior Minister Nuñez have both cited figures approaching or exceeding 25,000 hectares nationally this year. Authorities in Fontainebleau said Monday the fire "continued to progress moderately," with full containment not yet achieved and cause not yet officially confirmed.
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