Wildfires Near Paris Prompt Evacuations and Aerial Water Drops
WHO:
CNN - French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that police are investigating whether the fire was started deliberately.
ABC News - Paul Laurain, a spokesperson for the regional fire service, confirmed the deployment of two water-dumping planes and hundreds of firefighters.
CNN - French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that police are investigating whether the fire was started deliberately.
ABC News - Paul Laurain is a spokesperson for the regional fire service.
CNN - French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez is involved in the response to the wildfires.
ABC News - Paul Laurain is a spokesperson for the regional fire service.
WHAT:
CNN - The Fontainebleau forest fire has burned more than 3 square miles (800 hectares) and is described as being of "exceptional scale."
ABC News - The fire has prompted evacuations of residential neighborhoods and disrupted train and highway traffic.
CNN - The Fontainebleau forest fire has been described by officials as being of "exceptional scale."
ABC News - The fire has disrupted train services to and from the Gare de Lyon train station, which were returning to normal on Monday morning after being disrupted late Sunday.
ABC News - The fire is part of the third red-alert heat wave of the year, with temperatures in Paris reaching around 37 C (98 F).
ABC News - Large fires in southern France have already scorched thousands of hectares since last week, disrupting the Tour de France cycling race and stretching firefighting resources.
ABC News - Temperatures in western and central areas of France have surpassed 40 C (104 F) during the current heat wave.
CNN - More than 3 square miles (800 hectares) of the Fontainebleau forest have been burned.
ABC News - The fire prompted evacuations of residential neighborhoods and disrupted train and highway traffic.
ABC News - Two water-dumping planes and hundreds of firefighters have been deployed to combat the fire.
ABC News - The fire is among several wildfires raging in western European countries during a heatwave.
CNN - More than 2,000 deaths in France during the last week of June were attributed to the heat.
CNN - Deaths rose 29% in the last week of June compared to the week before.
WHERE:
ABC News - The Fontainebleau forest is located approximately 70 kilometers (42 miles) from Paris.
ABC News - The Fontainebleau forest is a historic area that hosts the Fontainebleau Chateau, favored by Napoleon and popular with visitors from Paris and beyond.
CNN - The wildfires are occurring in the Fontainebleau forest, located just south of Paris.
ABC News - The Fontainebleau forest is approximately 70 kilometers (42 miles) from Paris.
ABC News - The fire has disrupted train traffic to and from the Gare de Lyon train station in Paris.
ABC News - A section of the A6 highway leading southeast of Paris was shut down due to fire risk.
WHEN:
CNN - The hottest day ever recorded in France occurred on June 24.
ABC News - The fire is part of the third red-alert heat wave of the year.
WHY:
CNN - An exceptionally wet winter has left a lot of vegetation that quickly turned to tinder as three successive heatwaves sent temperatures into the high-30s Celsius.
CNN - An exceptionally wet winter in much of France and Spain has left a lot of vegetation that quickly turned to tinder as three successive heatwaves sent temperatures into the high-30s Celsius.
CNN - Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing more than twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
CNN - The climate crisis is driving hotter, drier weather, contributing to fiercer fire seasons.
CNN - An exceptionally wet winter left a lot of vegetation that turned to tinder during heatwaves.
HOW:
CNN - Firefighting aircraft are scooping up water from the River Seine as part of efforts to combat the fire.
ABC News - Two water-dumping planes have been deployed over the area along with hundreds of firefighters on the ground to combat the fire.
CNN - Firefighting aircraft are scooping up water from the River Seine as part of efforts to combat the fire.
CNN - Firefighting aircraft are scooping up water from the River Seine to combat the fire.
ABC News - Train services were disrupted late Sunday but returned to normal Monday morning.
(UPDATED July 14, 2026 06:43 UTC)
A massive forest fire in Fontainebleau, located about 70 kilometers from Paris, has burned over three square miles and is being described as having an "exceptional scale." French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that police are investigating whether the fire was started deliberately, while hundreds of firefighters and two water-dumping planes have been deployed to tackle the blaze. The fire has led to evacuations of nearby neighborhoods and has disrupted both train and highway traffic, as the region grapples with the aftermath of an exceptionally wet winter followed by three heatwaves that turned vegetation into tinder.
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(UPDATED July 13, 2026 20:19 UTC)
The Fontainebleau forest fire has been described by officials as being of "exceptional scale," and it has disrupted train services to and from the Gare de Lyon train station, although those services are expected to return to normal soon. This fire is part of the third red-alert heat wave of the year, with temperatures in Paris soaring to around 37 degrees Celsius. To combat the blaze, two water-dumping planes and hundreds of firefighters have been deployed to the historic Fontainebleau forest, an area known for its stunning chateau favored by Napoleon.
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(UPDATED July 13, 2026 14:47 UTC)
Large fires in southern France have already scorched thousands of hectares, disrupting the Tour de France cycling race and stretching firefighting resources. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that police are investigating whether the fire was started deliberately, while temperatures in western and central areas of France have soared above 40 degrees Celsius during the ongoing heat wave. Firefighting aircraft are actively scooping up water from the River Seine to help combat the flames as the region grapples with these extreme conditions.
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(UPDATED July 13, 2026 11:52 UTC)
Wildfires are raging in the Fontainebleau forest, located just south of Paris, where more than 3 square miles have been burned, prompting evacuations and disrupting train and highway traffic. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez is actively involved in the response, which includes hundreds of firefighters and two water-dumping planes that are scooping up water from the River Seine to combat the flames. This fire is part of a series of wildfires across western Europe during a heatwave, which has already led to over 2,000 heat-related deaths in France just last month.