After Major Fire: Fontainebleau Assesses Severe Damage to Nature and Forest

Fontainebleau – 19/07/2026: One week after the outbreak of the major fires in the Fontainebleau forest, the detailed assessment of the ecological damage is beginning. Since the late afternoon of July 12, the fire had spread through the forest area in Seine-et-Marne and, according to official information, affected more than 2,000 hectares. Employees of the National Forestry Office, ONF, are now gradually returning to accessible areas to document the damage.

The affected forest areas are part of one of the most important natural and recreational spaces in the Ile-de-France region. According to the ONF, the massif covers around 22,000 hectares and combines different habitats, including pine and deciduous forests, sandstone formations and open heathland. This diversity in particular makes the post-fire assessment complex: not every burned area has been affected to the same extent, and some areas remain closed for safety reasons for the time being.

The initial investigations focus on dead trees, damaged soils and possible consequences for animals and plants. Experts must determine which stands can recover naturally, where protective measures are needed and whether there are risks from falling or weakened trees. Immediate reforestation is not automatically the solution, as it must first become clear which vegetation returns on its own.

Emergency services were deployed on a large scale during the fire. According to the Gendarmerie, around 100 gendarmes were deployed alongside approximately 800 firefighters. They secured access roads, supported evacuations, kept unauthorized people away from danger zones and facilitated access for rescue services. Authorities are treating the event as an exceptional forest fire for the region.

At the same time as the ecological assessment, the criminal investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing. The Fontainebleau public prosecutor’s office tasked the Gendarmerie’s research division in Paris together with the Fontainebleau investigative brigade. The specialist fire-cause investigation unit is to bring together technical, forensic and forestry findings. The Gendarmerie has already reported several arrests, without thereby establishing final responsibility for all fire outbreaks.

For visitors, access remains restricted in parts of the massif. The ONF points to roads and parking areas that remain closed in the Fontainebleau-Commanderie-3 Pignons area. The restrictions are intended to enable rescue and inspection work and protect people from unstable trees, smoldering hotspots and difficult-to-navigate paths. Before visiting, day-trippers should check current access to their intended destination area.

The fire is therefore changing not only the appearance of the landscape but also forest work in the months ahead. Initially, the focus is on safety, reliable damage mapping and the protection of particularly sensitive areas. Only on this basis can the ONF and the responsible authorities decide which paths can be reopened, which areas must be secured over the long term and which forest sections should receive targeted support in their regeneration.