The 2026 wildfires in the Fontainebleau forest were major wildfires that broke out in the Forest of Fontainebleau, beginning on 12 July 2026 and being contained on 14 July. They were the most significant fires of the season in the area, affecting the Fontainebleau and Trois-Pignons forests and several municipalities. The fires occurred in two main areas, with the second appearing on 13 July near the town of Fontainebleau.
Background
Climate change
Although wildfires can have human causes (accidental or deliberate) or natural causes, climate change increases the risk of wildfires in France, particularly through the increasing frequency and intensity of heat waves and droughts, which constitute two of the three parameters of the 30-30-30 rule. The wildfire risk is expanding towards northern France as a result of warming and is likely to affect the Île-de-France region increasingly often..
Vulnerabilities of the forest in 2026 The Forest of Fontainebleau has experienced a sharp increase in visitor numbers. The forest receives between 15 and 18 million visitors per year, an estimated 25% increase over a decade. Visitor numbers are concentrated in certain easily accessible or particularly well-known areas, notably the Trois-Pignons massif, climbing sites and the Vingt-Cinq-Bosses circuit. This is accompanied by regular parking congestion and an increase in outdoor activities, including climbing, hiking, running and mountain biking. Vulnerabilities linked to heat, drought and parasites are added to this human pressure. Repeated trampling accelerates soil erosion, encourages the appearance of unofficial trails and can expose tree roots. In some heavily visited areas, ground level has fallen by more than one metre in less than ten years. The concentration of visitors also increases the need for surveillance, public awareness and development of the forest. Night-time visitation is a particular concern for environmental protection and wildfire prevention. Since 2023, parking in forest car parks has been prohibited between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. in order to limit nocturnal disturbance and the risk of fire ignition. This measure is part of a context in which the National Forests Office and local associations are seeking to manage increasing visitor numbers in a forest already subject to periods of heat and drought.
As early as spring 2026, several fires indicated an early increase in wildfire risk in the forest. Between 19 and 27 April 2026, at least seven fires were recorded amid low precipitation, pronounced drought and high visitor numbers associated with school holidays. The largest burned approximately 1.2 hectares. On the evening of 27 April, a fire broke out in the Belle-Croix area, near the Denecourt trail, and burned the shrub layer. The rocky and steep terrain made access difficult for emergency services, which operated for part of the night to contain the fire. Investigations were opened under judicial authority to determine the origins of the various fires. At the end of April, meteorological services rated the fire risk at 4 on a scale of 6, notably because of the abundance of dry or dead vegetation favourable to the spread of flames. In some areas, the presence of peat soils prolonged extinguishing operations and required flooding operations to prevent the fire from continuing underground. The early and repeated nature of the fires led state services to strengthen surveillance of the forest. Following a meeting held on 28 April between the Prefecture, National Police, Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS 77) and ONF, motorised and mounted patrols were strengthened, drones were deployed and an ONF mobile team was established to respond rapidly to certain fires. The firefighters' operational centre was also instructed to systematically alert command services to facilitate possible observations or arrests in the act.
Prefectural restrictions On 24 June 2026, the Prefect of Seine-et-Marne, Pierre Ory, issued an order prohibiting public access to the Trois-Pignons area for the duration of Météo-France's red heatwave warning. The prohibition applied to forest roads, hiking trails and all plots within the designated area. The order was justified by the combination of high temperatures, low air humidity and a water deficit in vegetation, which increased the risk of fire ignition and favoured rapid spread. The area's rugged terrain and difficult access could also complicate the intervention of emergency services. This measure came amid severe deterioration in the forest's water conditions. The Forest of Fontainebleau experienced two successive heatwaves, at the end of May and during the final week of June 2026. In April, precipitation amounted to approximately 5 mm, compared with the usual 40 mm. This precipitation deficit was aggravated by the sandy nature of the soils, which retain little water and promote rapid drying of vegetation. At the end of June, temperatures locally exceeded 41 °C. Under these conditions, trees reduced their growth and seed production, while some deciduous trees could no longer supply their crowns with sufficient water. Since 2019, approximately 40% of deciduous trees in the forest have shown signs of stress on average. Scots pines, which are relatively adapted to drought, remain particularly sensitive to extreme heat, causing their needles to yellow, redden and fall.
After the first prohibition was lifted following the end of the June heatwave, the prefects of Seine-et-Marne and Essonne issued a new order prohibiting public access to the Trois-Pignons forest until and including 15 July 2026. The new closure was motivated by a very high risk of fire ignition and spread caused by high temperatures and pronounced drying of vegetation. The prohibition applied to all forest roads, hiking trails and forest plots. In Seine-et-Marne, it covered the territories of Noisy-sur-École, Arbonne-la-Forêt, Achères-la-Forêt and Le Vaudoué, as well as Milly-la-Forêt and Courances in Essonne.
Early July fires On 8 July 2026, at approximately 1 p.m., a fire broke out in plot 713 of the Forest of Fontainebleau, in the Gorges d'Apremont area near the Brigands cave. The fire burned approximately 1.7 hectares of undergrowth. Its location in a rocky and steep area complicated access for emergency services and the delivery of water amid high temperatures. Nearly 200 firefighters took turns during the operation, with a maximum of 80 personnel deployed simultaneously. Water supplies came in particular from an underground tank at the Cépées crossroads and from resources provided by the municipalities of Barbizon and Fontainebleau. On the afternoon of 9 July, damping-down operations continued to prevent the fire from reigniting. The ONF filed a complaint and a police investigation was opened to determine the cause of the fire.
On 11 July 2026, at approximately 2:15 a.m., a fire broke out in the Gorges d'Apremont area, in a plot separate from the one affected on 8 July. The fire was approximately 500 m from the nearest accessible roads, within rocky terrain that made pedestrian access and firefighting particularly difficult. During the afternoon, a water bomber helicopter recently deployed to Seine-et-Marne was used against the fire. The aircraft made twelve drops after collecting water from the Seine at the Valvins bridge between Samois-sur-Seine and Avon. The aerial operation contained the fire at approximately 4.5 hectares. A reduced monitoring operation was maintained overnight and continued the following day to prevent the fire from restarting.
Progression
Sunday, 12 July 2026 On 12 July 2026, the Seine-et-Marne fire and rescue services were already deployed to several incidents in the department. Earlier that day, a vegetation fire broke out near Les Écrennes, close to Le Châtelet-en-Brie, causing traffic to be interrupted on the A5 autoroute between exits 16 and 17 because of smoke. In the late afternoon, the fire that began the series of fires examined in this article broke out alongside the A6 autoroute in the municipality of Noisy-sur-École, in the Trois-Pignons massif. The fire started on the motorway verge before spreading into the forest. Large plumes of smoke greatly reduced visibility and made traffic impossible on the affected section. About 40 firefighters were initially deployed.
From approximately 6 p.m., the fire spread rapidly through the Trois-Pignons massif. Emergency services identified approximately six ignition points, two of them on opposite sides of the A6 autoroute. One front advanced from west to east in the direction of the wind, while another advanced in the opposite direction. The A6 was closed to traffic for several hours because of the proximity of the flames and heavy smoke. Detours caused major traffic problems on the secondary road network, particularly at the entrance to Fontainebleau and at the Obelisk roundabout. A few hours after the fire began, the area burned was estimated at 16 hectares. Two Dash aircraft (Bombardier 8-Q400-MR) and two water bomber helicopters were deployed to reinforce ground resources, with each Dash capable of dropping approximately 10 tonnes of water per sortie. The deployment represented the first operational use of such aircraft against a fire in the Île-de-France region.
In the evening, the area burned was provisionally estimated at more than 800 hectares. A command post was established in the forest to coordinate operations. Nearly 400 firefighters, mainly from Seine-et-Marne, Essonne and Yvelines, were progressively deployed. Reinforcements from Val-d'Oise, comprising about 100 firefighters and 20 vehicles, were announced for the following day. Twelve farmers also helped supply firefighting vehicles using water tanks. As the fire advanced, approximately 100 people were evacuated from Achères-la-Forêt and about 15 from Le Vaudoué. They were accommodated in gymnasiums and municipal halls. Authorities stated that firefighting and monitoring operations would continue for several days. The presence of several separate fires led the National Gendarmerie to examine the possibility of deliberate ignition. At this stage, this remained an investigative hypothesis.
Monday, 13 July 2026
During the night of 12–13 July 2026, some residents of the two partially evacuated municipalities had to leave their homes because of the advancing fire. In Le Vaudoué, a multipurpose hall was opened to accommodate displaced people, centralise information and arrange accommodation, with some people staying with relatives. On the morning of 13 July, evacuated residents were still not authorised to return home. Authorities maintained the measure until the fire was contained because of persistent toxic and irritating smoke. Homes in the area had not been reached by the flames. During the day, thick smoke reached Le Vaudoué and Arbonne-la-Forêt, where a smell of burning remained noticeable. In Le Vaudoué, some residents wore surgical masks to limit their exposure to smoke. In Arbonne-la-Forêt, residents monitored the fire's progress and remained prepared to evacuate, with several preparing their belongings and vehicles while awaiting possible instructions from authorities.