Fontainebleau fire disrupts holiday travel as nuclear plants shut
A virulent forest fire near Paris has forced the closure of a major highway and caused severe rail delays on the first weekend of summer holidays, compounding the economic strain of climate-driven heatwaves that have also shut down nuclear power plants.
A massive wildfire racing across the Fontainebleau forest has forced the partial closure of the A6 highway and disrupted high-speed rail services out of Paris, striking at the peak of the July holiday exodus. The blaze, described by officials as being of "exceptional scale," had consumed 800 hectares by early Monday and continued to spread. Around 400 firefighters were deployed to contain the flames.
The timing of the fire has dealt a sharp blow to weekend travel networks. State railway operator SNCF reported delays of up to six hours at Paris's Gare de Lyon, a major hub for routes to the south-east. The A6, France's primary north-south arterial road, was partially shut just as millions of residents began departing for summer vacations ahead of the July 14th national holiday.
The infrastructure disruption coincides with broader economic strain from a severe heatwave. French authorities shut down three nuclear power stations as temperatures approached 40C, squeezing electricity generation precisely when summer demand spikes. The extreme weather also forced Tour de France organizers to shorten a Sunday stage by 30 kilometres, disrupting a major commercial and broadcast event.
Firefighting efforts faced significant hurdles as nightfall forced the suspension of aerial operations. Eric Brocardi of France's national federation of firemen noted it was the first time fire bomber planes had been dispatched from the typically drier south to the Paris region. "Without the firefighting planes, other villages would already have been evacuated," said Olivier Compta, who is overseeing the operation.
On the ground, around 15 homes were evacuated in the village of Vaudoue. At Gare de Lyon, stranded traveller Kelly linked the transport chaos to broader systemic issues. "It's global warming... there are political decisions to be taken," she said.
The Fontainebleau blaze follows a separate fire that recently blocked an eastern highway out of Paris. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez noted that forest fires have already consumed 17,000 hectares this year. Once the final figures are tallied, that total is expected to reach 25,000 hectares, which he said is "twice as much as the same period" in 2025.
