France's Macron pledges to replant Fontainebleau forest after devastating fire
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks as he meets with forest police, police and firefighters following the forest fires in Fontainebleau at the firefighter's central command site in Noisy-sur-Ecole, near Fontainebleau, France, 16 July 2026. MOHAMMED BA
PARIS, July 16 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to replant the historic Fontainebleau forest south of Paris on Thursday after wildfires scorched at least 10% of the 20,000-hectare domain and forced 1,000 residents to flee.
• The fire is now contained but Macron warned it would take several weeks for it to be completely extinguished.
• "Your forest is our forest because it is a treasure," Macron said in Fontainebleau as he announced the launch of a fundraising campaign to replant the forest. "It is a treasure for welcoming people and for biodiversity."
• The fundraising campaign is led by the Fontainebleau municipality, the National Forest Office (ONF) and the Fondation du Patrimoine, Macron said.
• The Fontainebleau forest is a former royal hunting ground that later became a celebrated subject for Impressionist painters and attracts hikers, nature lovers and climbers to its famous boulders.
• In 2019 Macron made a similar pledge to rebuild Notre-Dame cathedral after a blaze devastated large parts of the gothic gem. Notre-Dame reopened in 2024 after individual, corporate and private donors pledged nearly €900 million in donations.
(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Makini Brice)
Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!
You May Also Be Interested In
- Several people injured in sword attack at Swedish school, municipality says
- China launches biggest ever auto recall campaign over door handle safety
- Eric Trump-backed Space-Eyes to appoint ex-Delta Force officer and ex-banker, sources say
Create E-mail Alert Related Categories
ReutersSign up for StreetInsider Free!
Receive full access to all new and archived articles, unlimited portfolio tracking, e-mail alerts, custom newswires and RSS feeds - and more!



Tweet
Share