A forest fire of exceptional magnitude shook the Trois Pignons massif on Sunday, on the edge of the famous Fontainebleau Forest. The fire broke out near the A6 motorway and quickly spread due to the heat, drought and wind. In a short time, the response became one of the largest firefighting operations the region has seen in recent years.
More than 400 firefighters were mobilized to bring the flames under control. For the first time, emergency services also called in water-bombing aircraft in Île-de-France, a decision that underscores the exceptional danger of the situation.
Contrary to a widespread belief, however, these were not the classic Canadairs. French Civil Security deployed two Dash 8 Q400 MR aircraft, specially requested from Nîmes and Bordeaux. In common usage, almost every firefighting aircraft is indeed called a “Canadair