France wildfires 2026: Record 98,000 hectares burned, 167,000 evacuated
Synopsis
France's 2026 wildfire season has shattered national records, with over 98,000 hectares burned and 167,000 people evacuated from Gironde alone. The crisis has forced President Macron to invoke EU emergency aid — and the fires have now reached forests near Paris, signalling a dangerous northward shift in France's wildfire risk.
Key Takeaways
Wildfires have burned more than 98,000 hectares across France in 2026 , setting a national historical record.
167,000 people have been evacuated from Gironde , including 57,000 overnight on 25 July .
France is battling 32 active wildfires across departments including Gironde , Landes , and Var .
President Emmanuel Macron invoked the EU Civil Protection Mechanism ; aerial support from Croatia , Portugal , Czech Republic , and Slovakia is en route.
The Fontainebleau Forest , just 60 km from Paris , lost approximately 2,000 hectares — about 10% of its total area — to fires on 12 and 13 July .
According to EFFIS satellite data, the area burned in 2026 has already exceeded the entire total for 2025 .
Wildfires have scorched more than 98,000 hectares across France in 2026, setting a historical record for the country, French authorities confirmed on Saturday, 25 July. The scale of destruction has triggered mass evacuations and prompted Paris to invoke the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism for aerial firefighting support.
Key Developments on the Ground
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, speaking at a press briefing, confirmed that several blazes remain uncontained across the national territory. The worst-affected departments include Gironde, Landes, and Var. France was battling 32 active wildfires as of Friday, according to reports citing Nunez.
The overnight evacuation of 57,000 people from Gironde alone brought the total number of displaced residents in the region to 167,000 — one of the largest fire-driven evacuations in French peacetime history.
Macron Calls for EU Aid
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday said France had formally requested activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism as the fires continued to spread. In a post on social media platform X, Macron described the situation as being under 'very high tension' across France, particularly in the southwestern Gironde department.
Macron said France would soon receive aerial firefighting assistance, including two Canadair aircraft from Croatia, two Air Tractor aircraft from Portugal, and two heavy Black Hawk helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Satellite Data and Historical Context
According to satellite data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), cited by French daily Le Parisien, more than 42,000 hectares had burned across France since the beginning of 2026 — already surpassing the total area burned in all of 2025. Nearly 15,000 hectares burned during the first two weeks of July alone, with affected areas including the iconic Fontainebleau Forest, located approximately 60 km southeast of Paris.
Two separate wildfires broke out in the Fontainebleau Forest on 12 July and 13 July. The French National Forestry Office reported that the blazes scorched approximately 2,000 hectares — roughly 10 per cent of the forest's total area.
Why This Season Is Different
This comes amid a broader pattern of intensifying wildfire seasons across southern and western Europe, driven by prolonged drought conditions and record summer temperatures. France's 2026 fire season has outpaced any previous year on record, and the crisis has moved well beyond the traditionally fire-prone Mediterranean south into forests near the capital. Notably, the Fontainebleau fires mark a significant northward shift in the country's wildfire risk map.
What Happens Next
With dozens of fires still active and dry conditions forecast to persist, French emergency services remain on high alert. The incoming EU aerial assets are expected to bolster ground operations, though containment timelines remain uncertain. Authorities have not yet issued an all-clear for evacuated zones in Gironde.
Point of View
000-hectare figure is not just a record — it is a signal that France's fire management doctrine, built around Mediterranean risk zones, is no longer fit for purpose. The Fontainebleau fires, within commuting distance of Paris, expose a dangerous assumption: that northern French forests were insulated from the kind of catastrophic fire behaviour seen in Gironde. They are not. The EU Civil Protection Mechanism provides short-term aerial relief, but the structural question — whether France and the EU have invested sufficiently in pre-suppression, forest thinning, and climate-adaptive land management — remains unanswered. This season should force that reckoning.
NationPress
25 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hectares have burned in France in 2026?
More than 98,000 hectares have burned across France in 2026, according to French authorities, making it the worst wildfire year on record for the country. Satellite data from EFFIS confirmed that the area burned had already surpassed the full-year total for 2025.
How many people have been evacuated due to France's 2026 wildfires?
A total of 167,000 people have been evacuated from the Gironde department alone, including 57,000 who were moved overnight on 25 July 2026. Evacuations are also ongoing in other affected departments including Landes and Var.
What EU aid has France requested for the wildfires?
President Emmanuel Macron formally requested activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism on Friday. France is set to receive two Canadair aircraft from Croatia, two Air Tractor aircraft from Portugal, and two heavy Black Hawk helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Were wildfires near Paris in 2026?
Yes. Two wildfires broke out in the Fontainebleau Forest, approximately 60 km southeast of Paris, on 12 and 13 July 2026. The French National Forestry Office said the fires burned around 2,000 hectares, or about 10 per cent of the forest's total area.
Why is the 2026 French wildfire season so severe?
The 2026 season has been driven by prolonged drought and extreme summer heat, consistent with a broader pattern of worsening fire conditions across western Europe. France is battling 32 active wildfires simultaneously, with fires spreading beyond the traditionally vulnerable south into forests near the capital.
