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Arson Suspected in Fontainebleau
A wildfire in the Fontainebleau forest south-east of Paris scorched about 800 hectares, and French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the blaze may have been deliberately set after around 10 separate fire outbreaks were detected within a one-kilometer radius.
“Wildfire raging south of Paris could have been set deliberately, says minister The battle by firefighters in France to bring under control a large wildfire raging in forests south of the country's capital is entering its second day”
Nuñez told reporters during a visit to Noisy-sur-École in the Seine-et-Marne department that "The investigation has been entrusted to the National Gendarmerie," as authorities warned France faces an exceptionally severe wildfire season fueled by an intense heatwave.
French President Emmanuel Macron praised firefighters battling the suspected arson wildfire, saying in a message on social media that "The Fontainebleau forest is affected by a fire of exceptional magnitude," while authorities mobilized aircraft and ground crews.
The fire prompted the precautionary evacuation of about 900 people, most of them living on the edge of the forest, and EFE reported that no injuries or damage to residential areas had been reported as firefighters protected nearby communities.
Arrests, Evacuations, Disruptions
As the blaze entered its second day, Interior minister Laurent Nunez indicated the fire may have been deliberately set after officials said the fire had raced across 800 hectares in the forest about 40 miles (60km) south-east of Paris.
Nunez said in a statement reported by the AFP news agency that "There were about 10 fire ignition points within a perimeter of 1,000 meters, which suggests that it could have been deliberately set," while the BBC reported that on Monday Nunez said two people had been arrested in connection with the Fontainbleau blaze.
The Killeen Daily Herald said the fire prompted evacuations of some residential neighborhoods and disrupted train and highway traffic, and it reported that the Fontainebleau forest fire is about 70 kilometers (42 miles) from Paris.
In Spain, the same report said 10 people were still unaccounted for Monday from a fire that killed 13 people last week, while the Fontainebleau fire continued to spread at a moderate rate as winds turned and complicated firefighting work.
Heatwave Stakes and Wider Risk
French officials tied the wildfire risk to an exceptionally severe heatwave, with EFE reporting that Météo-France forecasts temperatures of between 37C and 41C across much of the country in the third major heatwave since late May.
“Paris, July 13 (EFE)”
EFE also said Nuñez warned that France faces a "very challenging" summer and that nine out of every 10 wildfires are caused by human activity, while it reported that authorities had made 44 arrests linked to wildfires, with about two-thirds involving suspected arson.
The BBC reported that the Paris region was suffering through its third heatwave this year, and it said the wildfire partially closed the country's main north-south highway while the fight continued to save lives and property.
In the wider European context, the BBC noted that the latest French heatwave forced the temporary shutdown of three nuclear power stations to avoid the discharge of warm cooling water into overheated waterways, underscoring how the fire and heat intersect with critical infrastructure.
