Heatwave-fueled wildfires near Paris force evacuations and arrests

Wildfires near Paris forced about 1,000 people from their homes as firefighters battled a blaze that had scorched more than 1,900 hectares in the Fontainebleau forest. The fire, which began on Sunday, July 12, about 60 kilometres southeast of the capital, spread through a landscape of villages, forest tracks and popular climbing ground, turning one of the region’s best-known green spaces into an evacuation zone.

By Tuesday, July 14, crews were still fighting the blaze with about 850 firefighters, four Canadair aircraft, two Dash planes and three water-bombing helicopters. The Canadair deployment was unprecedented in the greater Paris region, and by Monday evening aircraft had already carried out 187 water drops. A second, smaller fire broke out about five kilometres from the original blaze a day later.

The evacuations hit communities around Fontainebleau, including Vaudoue, while the A6 highway was partially closed as smoke and emergency traffic affected movement through Seine-et-Marne. Two people were arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with the Fontainebleau fire. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 59 people had been arrested nationwide over suspected arson or accidental arson.

France was in its third heatwave in as many months, and Santé publique France recorded the severe spell that began on June 16, covering 90 departments under orange alerts and bringing a record red alert to 72 departments. The agency also recorded 6,351 hospitalizations linked to the heatwave between June 18 and June 29.

Nuñez said forest fires had already consumed 17,000 hectares in France this year, and he said the annual total was expected to reach about 25,000 hectares. The Fontainebleau blaze was already among the largest wildfires recorded in northern France since nationwide records began in 2006. The fire was still not under control as crews pressed to stop the flames from pushing farther into the forest and surrounding villages.