France deploys aircraft as wildfire threatens historic forest near Paris
PARIS: Western Europe continued to battle intense heatwaves and destructive wildfires on Monday as firefighters raced to contain a fast-moving blaze near Paris, while Spain’s wildfire death toll climbed to 13 after another victim succumbed to burn injuries.
French authorities deployed hundreds of firefighters, supported by Canadair water-bombing aircraft, to tackle a wildfire in the historic Fontainebleau Forest, about 70 kilometres south of Paris. The blaze forced the closure of the A6 motorway linking Paris with Lyon and disrupted high-speed rail services in the region.
For the first time, firefighting aircraft refilled water directly from the River Seine as crews worked to prevent the flames from spreading further. Authorities evacuated nearly 800 residents before bringing most of the fire under control, although strong winds continued to complicate operations.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said investigators considered the fire suspicious after identifying around 10 separate ignition points within a one-kilometre area. Police later arrested two suspects in connection with the incident.
Spain mourns rising fatalities as heat intensifies across Europe
Meanwhile, Spain’s deadly wildfire in Almeria claimed a 13th victim after a 93-year-old British woman died from severe burns. Authorities said 10 people remain missing as rescue teams continue search operations. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for stronger wildfire prevention measures during a visit to the affected region.
Elsewhere, severe heat continued to grip France, Italy and other parts of Europe. Around 26 million people in France remained under red heatwave alerts, while Italian forecasters warned temperatures could exceed 42 degrees Celsius in parts of Sardinia.
Scientists also warned that prolonged heat is increasing mortality across Europe. Official monitoring data recorded more than 10,000 excess deaths during the late-June heatwave, with elderly people accounting for the majority of fatalities. Health experts cautioned that climate change is making extreme heat and wildfires more frequent, intense and difficult to manage across the continent.
