French departments prepare for wildfire season after record heat

Fifty-two administrative departments across France are at risk of forest wildfires, according to Le Monde. The assessment follows a record heatwave that has left vegetation dry and increased ignition potential.

Expanded training programs Of the 258,641 firefighters in France, including 200,961 volunteers, 91,000 are now trained in forest fires. That figure represents a 10 percent increase from five years ago. Nearly 40 percent of the 28,016 training days provided in 2025 focused on wildland fires.

Simulation exercises A simulation conducted in the Bouches-du-Rhône department allowed participants to practice decision-making under complex fire conditions. "It is a grueling experience, even if it is virtual. It brings back trauma for some, but it allows us to work on decision-making in complex situations," a lieutenant colonel at the applied civil security school said.

On June 18, around 60 firefighters trained together on specific wildfire outbreak scenarios using maps and coordinated procedures.