France faces post-WWII wildfire surge as blazes hit historic forest

President Emmanuel Macron has acknowledged that France is facing a level of wildfire activity not seen since the end of World War II. He thanked 900 firefighters and 120 soldiers for their efforts in combating a blaze in the historic Fontainebleau forest, located southeast of Paris.

The fire in Fontainebleau, which raged since the weekend, has been contained but not fully extinguished. It has already destroyed 2,050 hectares of the forest, a site historically used for royal hunts and favored by Impressionist painters. Firefighting efforts continue, with engineers assisting to prevent the fire's resurgence in the peat-rich, sandy soil.

Nationwide, civil defense services reported nearly 11,000 fires this year, burning a total of 35,000 hectares. This surge in fires occurs amidst a severe drought and heatwave, with temperatures in some southern regions reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius. Water usage restrictions are in place in 43 departments. The Ministry of Ecological Transition described the drought as "exceptional and very worrying." Additionally, the Minister of Sport noted a 20% increase in drowning deaths compared to last year, with 142 fatalities since June 19, mostly in unsupervised or prohibited swimming areas.

“

We have not experienced anything like this since the end of World War II.