Forest fire near Fontainebleau: Le Vaudoué experiences a night of evacuation

Le Vaudoué – 13 July 2026: During the night, the smell of smoke hung over the village, while blue emergency lights flashed in the narrow streets. The forest fire in the Forêt de Fontainebleau directly affected the residents of Le Vaudoué and surrounding communities. According to the mayor, it was the worst day imaginable, Franceinfo reports. The fire came close to the first houses at the edge of the forest.

The fire broke out late on Sunday, 12 July, near the A6 motorway in Noisy-sur-École, in the Seine-et-Marne department. According to emergency services, by Monday morning the fire had spread across around 800 hectares of forest. Approximately 500 firefighters, as well as helicopters and firefighting aircraft, were deployed to combat it. For the first time during such a fire in the Île-de-France region, Canadair firefighting aircraft were used.

Around 900 people were evacuated as a precaution from homes on the edge of the forest. According to information available on Monday morning, there were no injuries or damaged residential buildings. However, uncertainty remained for many of those affected: pets had to be taken along in haste, and horses had to be moved to safety. Residents temporarily found shelter with neighbours or in municipal accommodation while firefighters secured areas threatened by the fire.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez visited the operation site in Noisy-sur-École. He said that around ten separate ignition points had been identified within a radius of about one kilometre. This could indicate an intentional cause. The Fontainebleau public prosecutor’s office has been involved in the case. At the same time, it has not yet been established whether the fire was actually deliberately set: the investigation is only just beginning.

Authorities closed access to the entire forest area. A section of the A6 was also closed for a time. The fire also affected rail traffic on the high-speed line between Paris and Lyon after cables were damaged. SNCF Réseau reported on Monday morning that regular service had resumed, but passengers had previously faced significant delays.

The Forêt de Fontainebleau is far more than just a landscape near Paris: the forest area, covering around 23,000 hectares, is considered an important natural and recreational area. Dry soil, high temperatures and highly flammable vegetation are making the work of emergency services more difficult. The fire service expects that, although the fire may be contained during the day, it will take considerably longer to fully extinguish it and monitor individual smouldering hotspots.

For Le Vaudoué, this situation marked a turning point. In the village of around 750 residents, proximity to the forest had until now primarily been part of everyday life and the local landscape. The fire now shows how quickly this proximity can turn into an acute threat. Authorities urge people to strictly comply with restrictions and keep access routes clear for emergency services.