world
Wildfire Burns 1,900 Acres in Fontainebleau Forest South of Paris
A large wildfire began late Sunday afternoon in the Fontainebleau forest about 40 miles southeast of Paris. Officials described the blaze as very virulent and of exceptional scale. Firefighting operations continue as the fire spreads amid the region's third heat wave since May.
Jul 13, 3:46 AM·1m read2 sources
en.rfi.frAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
A wildfire erupted late Sunday afternoon in the Fontainebleau forest about 40 miles southeast of Paris and has burned across 1,900 acres. Officials described the fire as very virulent and of exceptional scale. Two firefighting planes were deployed to the area, but operations were suspended at nightfall.
15 homes were evacuated in the nearby village of Vaudoue. Firefighters are defending several other towns in the area, according to the local Seine-et-Marne fire service. The blaze prompted the partial closure of a main highway and disrupted traffic along other highways and the high-speed rail line to the southeast.
The Paris region is experiencing its third heat wave since May.
Officials said the fire erupted just ahead of the July 14 national holiday and the first major weekend of summer departures. About 400 firefighters are working to contain the flames. Several other European countries have recorded record-breaking average temperatures during the current heat period.
