An exceptional fire has been raging since Sunday in the Fontainebleau forest in Seine-et-Marne. More than 500 firefighters are battling flames that burned 1,300 hectares by Monday evening.
The fire broke out Sunday afternoon near the A6 motorway in Noisy-sur-École. It spread rapidly through the forest massif, aided by heat and drought.
On Monday evening, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced the arrest of two people for “voluntary or accidental ignitions”. One suspect is an 18-year-old man detained with a lighter and soot-covered hands.
Emmanuel Macron stated that “all means are mobilized” and expressed his “deep gratitude” to the firefighters. No injuries have been reported among responders or civilians. Some 700 to 900 people were evacuated.
The fire is not contained. Firefighters are using Canadair aircraft for the first time in Île-de-France, refilling from the Seine. A new outbreak was reported Monday afternoon near the Faisanderie.
