Fires Destroy Forest Outside Paris

Hundreds of French firefighters struggled to contain wildfires that swept through a forest on the outskirts of Paris, a popular destination attracting large numbers of visitors, amid another heat wave gripping the country.

Once a royal hunting ground, the Forest of Fontainebleau, located about 60 kilometers southeast of Paris, now draws around 15 million visitors annually, including hikers, nature enthusiasts, and climbers from around the world, who come to scale its famous massive rock formations.

The fires, which broke out last Sunday, consumed approximately 2,050 hectares, according to fire crews’ announcement on Tuesday.

Around 850 firefighters are battling the blaze, aided by specialized Canadair aircraft, as authorities hope to bring the inferno under control.