A severe wildfire in Fontainebleau forest, about 60 kilometers southeast of Paris, has scorched over 800 hectares and prompted evacuations.
French officials deployed firefighting planes on Sunday to battle the flames, which were described as "very virulent" and of "exceptional scale."
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The blaze ignited in the late afternoon and spread rapidly, leading to the partial closure of the A6 highway, a major north-south route in France.
Traffic disruptions occurred during a busy summer travel weekend amid ongoing heatwaves gripping the region.
French rail company SNCF reported delays of up to six hours for trains at Paris's Gare de Lyon due to the wildfire's impact.
Firefighting efforts had to pause at nightfall, with approximately 15 homes evacuated in Vaudoue and additional towns at risk, noted local fire services.
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Firefighting Challenges
Olivier Compta, overseeing firefighting operations, stated, "Without the firefighting planes, other villages would already have been evacuated."
He emphasized the urgency of the situation as the fire continued to advance.
Eric Brocardi from France's national federation of firefighters highlighted that this was the first occurrence of firefighting planes being sent from the typically hotter southern regions to the Paris area.
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"The aim is to save lives and property," he said.
