French firefighters used aircraft to scoop water from the River Seine to battle a wildfire in the Fontainebleau forest southeast of Paris.
The blaze threatens a UNESCO biosphere reserve during a severe heatwave, highlighting the region's vulnerability to rapid-spreading fires as temperatures soar across Europe.
The fire was first reported on July 13, 2026 [5]. Efforts to contain the flames continued into Tuesday, with approximately 1,000 people evacuated from the surrounding areas [3]. To combat the inferno, firefighting planes performed repeated water scoops from the Seine to douse the canopy of the forest, located about 60 km from the capital.
Reports on the total damage vary. Some data indicates the fire scorched about 800 hectares [2], while other summaries suggest the area burned was nearly 2,000 hectares [1]. The discrepancy reflects the difficulty of mapping the perimeter during active firefighting operations.
Police have arrested two people on suspicion of arson [4]. Investigators are examining whether the suspects intentionally ignited the brush, which had become highly combustible due to the ongoing heatwave. The extreme weather conditions created a volatile environment, allowing the fire to spread quickly through the reserve's dense vegetation.
Local authorities continued evacuation efforts on July 14 to ensure resident safety as crews worked to prevent the fire from reaching nearby residential zones. The use of the River Seine as a primary water source provided the necessary volume to keep the aircraft operational throughout the peak of the crisis.
“Firefighting planes scooped water from the River Seine to douse a wildfire in the Fontainebleau forest”
The intersection of a UNESCO-protected biosphere with a severe heatwave creates a high-risk scenario for biodiversity loss. The reliance on the River Seine for emergency water scooping underscores the critical role of urban waterways in disaster response for the Paris metropolitan region.
