Forest fire near Fontainebleau Palace continues to rage out of control

The massive fire that broke out in the historic Fontainebleau Forest near Paris continued to grow throughout the night. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced that the flames were still not under control as of late Monday. Authorities have so far taken at least two people into custody on suspicion of starting the fire.

The main fire and another blaze that started in the afternoon of the same day reduced approximately 1,300 hectares of forested area to ashes. As the flames reached within a few kilometers of the historic Fontainebleau Palace, the response was rapidly reinforced. Water-bombing planes, helicopters, and hundreds of firefighters were deployed to protect the area; in a first, Canadian-made water-bombing planes supported the operation by drawing water from the Seine River.

The fire also caused severe transportation disruptions; a section of the A6 highway connecting Paris to Lyon and southern France was closed, and high-speed train services were interrupted. As a precaution, approximately 900 residents were forced to evacuate their homes. Minister Nunez warned that, partly due to the persistent drought, France is heading towards one of the worst forest fire seasons on record.