France's Macron pledges to replant Fontainebleau forest after devastating fire

PARIS – French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to replant the historic Fontainebleau forest south of Paris on July 16 after wildfires scorched at least 10 per cent of the 20,000-ha 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 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 (S$1.33 billion) in donations. REUTERS