France's wildfire crisis sparks debate over prevention and firefighting capacity

Paris - 26.07.2026: This summer's severe wildfires have sparked a debate in France about forest resilience and the resources available for civil protection. Antoine d'Amécourt, president of the private forest owners' association Fransylva, described the situation as exceptional. He is calling for a comprehensive strategy combining prevention, firefighting and reforestation.The need for action is considerable. According to the Interior Ministry on 24 July, around 98,000 hectares have burned nationwide since the beginning of the year. Particularly severe fires raged in the southwestern French departments of Gironde and Landes, while emergency ...