A wildfire described by officials as "very virulent" and of "exceptional scale" has ignited in the Fontainebleau forest, located approximately 40 miles south-east of Paris. The blaze, which began on a late afternoon, has already consumed roughly 1,900 acres of land. As of early Monday, the fire remained active and continued to spread, resulting in the partial closure of a major highway in the region.
The local Seine-et-Marne fire service reported that approximately 400 firefighters are currently working to contain the flames. Efforts are focused on defending several towns in the area, while about 15 homes in the village of Vaudoue have been evacuated. Firefighting aircraft were utilized to combat the fire, though their operations were forced to cease at nightfall.
The incident has caused significant disruptions to regional transportation, affecting both highways and the high-speed rail line that services the southeast of the country. These events occurred just before the July 14 national holiday, coinciding with the start of the summer holiday travel season.
This wildfire is taking place as the Paris region endures its third heat wave since May. The ongoing extreme weather has led to record-breaking temperatures across several European nations, resulting in thousands of excess deaths in countries including France, Britain, Belgium, and Spain. Scientists from the World Weather Attribution group have noted that the heat waves observed in June would have been "virtually impossible" to occur without the influence of climate change.
