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By Samuel Fallon-Mokhiber
Photo by Samuel Fallon-Mokhiber
This summer, wildfires in France swept across the countryside, burning nearly 100,000 hectares of land and forcing about a quarter of a million people to evacuate. Temperatures in Europe have been rising in recent summer, and with them, the number of wildfires. This summer France experienced a record-breaking heatwave, which had an average temperature that was 6.5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than normal. Due to the extreme heat, France recorded more than 7,000 excess deaths.
Wildfires in France this summer alone caused more than 500 million euros worth of insurance damages. While the fires were spread out all over France, they were the most intense in areas near Bordeaux and forests in the dry, Mediterranean climate of southern France. In 2026, France recorded 878 VIRRS wildfires, the most ever recorded by a large margin.
Anissa Tazi is a French world history teacher based in New Orleans. She was visiting her family in Perpignan when the fires broke out. She remembers quickly switching highways after a large wildfire made the route too dangerous.
“Some of the roadways were blocked off because of the forest fires,” Tazi recounted. “My brother and I had to switch highways to get back home to our family.”
The fires severely affected the area, especially the wildlife in the National Park about 10 miles northwest of the city.
“There are some places in the region that are full of vegetation on one end, and then just completely dead on the other,” Tazi explained.
Perpignan wasn’t damaged at all, but the villages in the surrounding area were.
“The city was used as an area of refuge for other villages more affected by the fires,” Tazi said.
Smoke from the fires contaminated the air, reaching hazardous levels. Tazi recalls seeing and smelling the smoke in her house, which is only a few miles away from one of the major fires. Residents faced poor air quality while the fires continued to burn. Having been born and raised in the south of France, she has always been used to the dry climate of the region. Wildfires of this magnitude though, are something she fears she will have to get used to in the coming years.
“It is clear to me that climate change plays a major role in the increased number of forest fires in the area,” Tazi said.
In response to the wildfires, the French government strengthened forestry regulations and dished out aid to those affected. Tazi was impressed with the government’s immediate response to the fires but is waiting to see what further action the government will take to help local residents prevent wildfires that may come in the future.
Elsewhere in France, around 400 miles north of Perpignan in the commune of Fontainebleau, two wildfires burned down about 10% of the forest. Marie-Ange Leduc, a longtime resident of Fontainebleau, witnessed the fires firsthand.
“In the 19th century after the Revolution, the forest became a tourist attraction. And it has stayed a big destination,” Leduc said.
Today, the forest attracts more than 15 million visitors each year. Most of these visitors come from nearby Paris, which is only about 40 minutes away by train. The forest is famous for being an old royal hunting ground. In 1861, the French government made the forest one of the world’s first conservation sites. The forest was designated a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1998.
The forest is next to many small villages, with Fontainebleau being the largest town in the region with almost 30,000 people.
The forest is protected by the ONF, a national organization that manages and protects forests across the country.
“Fontainebleau and its twin town Avon are very small towns by American standards, with barely 30,000 inhabitants,” Leduc explained. “But they are deeply steeped in history and oriented toward tourism and the service sector.”
The first wildfire was in the heart of the forest, around 10 miles away from an area where people aren’t allowed to go. This area is almost completely untouched and is known for its steep terrain and large rocky formations.
The flames affected nearby villages, including Archères-la-foret, Arbonne-la foret, and Noisy sur ecole. The highway connecting these villages to Paris and other nearby villages had to be closed, as it passed directly through the flames.
To fight the fires, firefighters used helicopters to take water out from the nearby canal of the castle of Fontainebleau. In total, two water-bombing helicopters, three Canadairs, and a Dash aircraft were used to help contain the fires.
“On July 15, a second fire broke out on the edge of the Fontainebleau forest, likely caused by someone’s negligence,” Leduc explained. “This one was smaller but directly threatened the city.”
Following the devastating wildfire, the forest was almost completely closed to the public for roughly a month while emergency crews worked to contain the remaining hotspots and ensure the area was safe.
“Officially, it was only declared extinguished on August 28, because the fire continued to burn under the forest floor, which is covered in pine needles,” Leduc stated.
A high school had to be quickly evacuated along with a golf course, horse stables, and business schools. These buildings were on the edge of the city, and firefighters stopped the fires before they were able to get anything else.
Leduc remembers seeing the many firetrucks that had come from across the country to help out. After the fires, Fontainebleau held a big party for the firefighters and first responders.
