Hundreds of firefighters worked Tuesday to control two fires in the Fontainebleau forest south of Paris that had consumed nearly 2,000 hectares (about 4,900 acres) and led to the evacuation of 1,000 residents, according to local authorities.
The fires, while smaller than others that have affected southern France, were exceptionally close to the densely populated region surrounding the French capital. Water-dumping planes were utilized to scoop water from the Seine River in an effort to douse the flames, marking the first time such aircraft have been used for firefighting in the Paris region, stated the regional fire chief.
Smoke lingered over the treetops on Tuesday as authorities sought to gain control of the situation. No deaths or injuries have been reported in connection with the Fontainebleau fires.
Separately, four days after a fire devastated a remote expat community in southern Spain, judicial authorities announced they have identified 10 of the 13 victims. Identification was achieved through biological samples. Judicial authorities stated late Monday that most of the deceased, all adults, were foreign nationals, including five British citizens, three Belgians, one French woman, and one Spanish national. Ten individuals remain unaccounted for.
The Los Gallardos fire in Spain impacted an area of approximately 70 square kilometers (27 square miles) of forest and farmland. Spain is currently experiencing extreme heat, compounded by wind and low rainfall, creating conditions conducive to the rapid growth of wildfires.
Europe is experiencing warming at a rate twice the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service.