Macron warns in Fontainebleau of unprecedented wildfire pressure across the country

Fontainebleau – 16 July 2026: During a visit to the Fontainebleau forest, which was heavily devastated by fires, President Emmanuel Macron warned of a new scale of wildfire risk in France. Macron said that since the end of the Second World War, the country had never faced such simultaneous concentrated fire pressure in so many regions. According to recent figures, around 35,000 hectares have burned since the beginning of the year.

The head of state’s visit followed several days of particularly severe fires in the Fontainebleau forest southeast of Paris. Since 12 July, according to consistent situation reports, the flames have engulfed around 2,000 hectares of vegetation there. The area is among France’s most important forest landscapes and lies around 60 km from the capital. After a quiet night, emergency services said the situation had stabilized, although they remained on alert at the scene.

The series of simultaneous fires is putting pressure on France’s domestic and climate policies to act. Macron placed the fight against vegetation fires in a national context: not only the Mediterranean regions, which have traditionally been particularly vulnerable, but also areas in the north and the Paris metropolitan region are now affected. This is changing the geography of risk, which until now has underpinned prevention, firefighting resources and deployment plans.

At Fontainebleau, firefighters, gendarmes and other state authorities were mobilized on a large scale from the start of the operation. The gendarmerie initially deployed around 100 personnel to protect at-risk areas, assist evacuations and keep access routes clear. Residents of the municipalities of Achères-la-Forêt and Le Vaudoué had previously been brought to safety as a precaution. The investigation into multiple ignition points continues under the direction of the judicial authorities in Fontainebleau.

The president linked his warning to the exceptional strain on emergency services. According to gendarmerie figures, nearly 10,000 vegetation fires had been recorded nationwide by 13 July; at that point, the devastated area was estimated at around 32,000 hectares. The more recent figure of around 35,000 hectares cited by Macron indicates that the situation has continued to worsen in recent days.

The government had prepared for the wildfire season since early June with additional investments. The Interior Ministry ordered two additional Canadair firefighting aircraft; they were expected to supplement the fleet of twelve aircraft at the time. Since 2022, considerable resources have also been allocated to aircraft, prevention and coordination between the state and local authorities. However, the fire at Fontainebleau shows that the expansion of resources is occurring alongside a rapid spatial spread of the threat.

The visit therefore has a dual political significance. Macron is showing support for emergency services while making clear that wildfires can no longer be regarded as a seasonal regional problem. For the state, the question now is whether existing structures for civil protection, forest management and local crisis preparedness need to be adapted for a longer and more severe fire season across the country.