Europe heatwaves: France battles massive Fontainebleau wildfires near Paris; Spain identifies victims of deadly blaze

At the same time, Spanish authorities confirmed the identities of most victims killed in a devastating wildfire in southern Spain, underscoring the widening impact of extreme weather across the continent.

French authorities said the Fontainebleau fires have scorched more than 2,000 hectares of forest, while Spain continues to deal with the aftermath of a deadly blaze that claimed at least 13 lives.

Historic Fontainebleau forest engulfed by flames

More than 850 firefighters worked overnight to tackle two major wildfires sweeping through the Fontainebleau forest, around 70 kilometres southeast of Paris.

The fires have destroyed more than 2,000 hectares of woodland, prompting the evacuation of approximately 1,000 people from nearby communities.

According to regional authorities, no deaths or injuries have been reported in connection with the French fires.

The Fontainebleau blaze is considered particularly significant because of its proximity to the densely populated Paris region.

The forest, once used as royal hunting grounds and now one of France's most popular recreational areas, attracts nearly 15 million visitors annually.

Firefighting aircraft deployed

French authorities deployed an extensive firefighting operation involving four Canadair aircraft, two Dash planes and three water-bombing helicopters.

For the first time in the Paris region, Canadair aircraft repeatedly skimmed the River Seine to collect water before dropping it over the burning forest.

Rescue operation commander Jean-Marc Sicard said aircraft had completed 187 water drops by Monday evening as crews sought to slow the fire's spread.

Regional fire service spokesperson Paul-Edouard Laurain expressed cautious optimism that calmer winds could assist firefighting efforts.

"With the help of the Canadair aircraft, in particular, that should be a goal we hope is achievable," Laurain said.

Authorities investigate possible arson

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the blaze remained uncontrolled late on Monday and confirmed that two people had been arrested on suspicion of starting the fire.

One of the suspects is reportedly an 18-year-old man with no previous police record.

The minister also revealed that 59 people have been arrested across France this year on suspicion of starting fires.

"It is not under control," Nunez said while describing the ongoing operation.

He noted that the Fontainebleau fire had already burned 1,300 hectares when he made the remarks and warned that 2026 could become a record year for wildfires in France.

"We'll probably have a record year. We expected this with this major drought," he said.

According to the Interior Ministry, wildfires have already destroyed around 32,000 hectares across France this year, exceeding the total area burned during the entire 2025 fire season.

France battles massive Fontainebleau wildfires. Photo: Screen grab from X

Heatwave intensifies across Europe

The wildfires have developed during Europe's third major heatwave of the summer, with exceptionally high temperatures affecting France, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom.

Meteorologists expect temperatures to reach 44 degrees Celcius in parts of Sardinia later this week, while Florence could see 39 degrees Celcius and Rome 38 degrees Celcius.

Paris was forecast to record temperatures of around 35 degrees Celcius on Bastille Day, prompting several municipalities to cancel traditional fireworks displays due to the heightened fire risk.

According to Reuters Climate Monitor, the average daytime high across Western Europe reached 29.4 degrees Celcius on Tuesday, approximately 6.3 degrees Celcius above the seasonal average recorded between 1961 and 1990.

Belgium and France experienced some of the largest departures from seasonal norms, with average highs exceeding historical levels by up to 9.4 degrees Celcius and 9.1 degrees Celcius respectively.

Scientists have repeatedly warned that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, creating conditions that allow wildfires to spread more rapidly.

Spain confirms identities of fire victims

Meanwhile, Spanish judicial authorities identified 10 of the 13 people who died in last week's devastating Los Gallardos wildfire in southern Spain through biological testing.

According to officials, those identified include five British nationals, one of whom later died in hospital, three Belgian citizens, one French national and one Spanish citizen.

Ten people remain missing.

The wildfire swept across approximately 70 square kilometres of forest and farmland, an area larger than Manhattan.

Spanish authorities said most of the victims were foreign nationals living in or visiting the affected region.

Humanitarian impact continues

Spain continues to experience prolonged hot and dry weather combined with strong winds, creating ideal conditions for wildfires to spread rapidly.

The Fontainebleau fire and the Los Gallardos disaster come as Europe faces another challenging wildfire season, with emergency services across several countries remaining on high alert.

The European Union's (EU) Copernicus Climate Change Service has reported that Europe remains the world's fastest-warming continent, with temperatures rising at roughly twice the global average since the 1980s.