Wildfires ravage over 1,300 hectares of historic forest near Paris

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PARIS: Firefighters battled two massive wildfires that scorched over 1,300 hectares in the historic Fontainebleau forest, located about 60 kilometers southeast of Paris.

The blazes, which erupted on Sunday, July 12, severely threatened the former royal hunting estate before crews managed to contain the most dangerous fronts.

Authorities moved swiftly, arresting two suspects for suspected arson after forensic teams identified 10 separate ignition points within a 1,000-meter perimeter. The investigation is ongoing as officials work to determine the full extent of the criminal actions.

The emergency forced the evacuation of approximately 1,000 residents to ensure public safety. Furthermore, the disaster caused major, widespread disruptions to the A6 highway and critical high-speed rail lines during the peak holiday travel weekend.

This catastrophe occurred during the third heatwave of the summer, creating dangerous, tinder-dry forest conditions. Officials described the scale of the fires as ‘exceptional,’ noting that the region has already seen a historic amount of land burned this year.

To combat the flames, authorities deployed 600 firefighters and four Canadair aircraft. Teams remain mobilized as the heatwave persists, focusing on preventing further destruction of the landscape.