Summer Woolley

A major wildfire in France’s Fontainebleau forest south of Paris prompted neighborhood evacuations, disrupted rail service, and forced closure of a section of the A6 highway as firefighters and water‑dumping aircraft responded. The blaze occurred amid an intense heatwave affecting France and much of western Europe, with temperatures surpassing 40°C in some regions. Large fires in southern France had already strained firefighting resources, while Spain faced one of its deadliest recent wildfires, which killed 13 people and destroyed extensive forest and farmland. Heat, wind, and dry conditions contributed to the spread of multiple fires across Europe, which is warming faster than the global average according to EU climate data.