Fontainebleau Fires – What They Mean for Fall Climbing

Tomaso Greksák
Jul 17
11 min read

Updated: 14 minutes ago

Fontainebleau After the Fires: What Climbers Need to Know Before Fall

Posted July 17, 2026 ·

Update — August 7:

The closure has been extended again, now through August 14, 2026 inclusive, covering the same forests as before (Trois-Pignons, Fontainebleau, la Commanderie, Nanteau-Poligny, Nemours communal forest). The prefecture cited persistent heat and drought and gave no reopening date beyond that. Two more small fire flare-ups (11 hectares) were just contained, and crews continue monitoring reignitions.

This also lets us refine the sector list from our last post — a bit of good news mixed with a correction:

Petit Bois is actually open. It sits outside the closure perimeter after all, despite being right next to Rocher Gréau.

Rocher Gréau and Mont d'Olivet remain closed, confirmed since July 29, as part of the Nemours communal forest closure.

Les Mammouths — still closed under the same Nemours order (unchanged from before).

Buthiers, Puiselet, and Darvault all remain outside the perimeter and potentially open.

**Update — July 31, 2026**

The closure has been extended again, now through August 7, 2026 inclusive - pushed back first from July 26 to July 31, and now again to the 7th. The prefecture cited persistent fire-weather risk, depleted local firefighting capacity (SDIS77) after the initial blaze, and firefighters being pulled to other major fires elsewhere in France (Gironde, Var) as reasons for the extensions. The total burned area is now put at roughly 2,200 hectares, revised up slightly from earlier estimates. Don't assume access resumes on any given date without checking first — this deadline has already moved twice. Check the ONF's forest status page or the Seine-et-Marne prefecture site before heading out.

The scope has also widened. Alongside Fontainebleau, la Commanderie, and the closed sector of Trois-Pignons, the current order now also covers the forêt domaniale de Nanteau-Poligny and — importantly for anyone reading our earlier post — the forêt communale de Nemours.

Reopening, when it comes, will be gradual and sector-by-sector rather than all at once — areas untouched by the fire are expected to reopen first, with the most severely burned parcels staying closed for much longer (the ONF has mentioned a timeline of months, not weeks, for those). Sectors specifically named as most affected include Bois Rond, la Grande Montagne, Rocher de la Cathédrale, and Rocher du Potala, all in the Trois-Pignons area.

Correction to our earlier post: we'd previously said Petit Bois, Rocher Gréau, and Les Mammouths sat outside the state-forest closure since they're on land owned by the town of Nemours rather than the ONF. That's still true in terms of ownership — but as of this update, the Nemours communal forest itself is now closed under the same prefectural order, through August 7. So these sectors are closed too for now, regardless of who technically owns the land.

- Petit Bois and Rocher Gréau (Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours) — closed, per the Nemours communal forest order.

- Les Mammouths, also in the forêt communale de Nemours (forêt du Rocher Vert) — closed, same order.

- Buthiers — 5km from our Boulancourt base and the closest climbing area for most of our Fly&Climb guests — is part of the Île de loisirs de Buthiers, a regional leisure park. It isn't named in any of the current closure orders, so it likely remains open, but given Nemours was added without much warning, we wouldn't treat that as certain — check locally before relying on it.

As always: check current status through the relevant mairie (Nemours for Petit Bois/Rocher Gréau/Mammouths) or the Buthiers leisure base directly, rather than relying on this post for real-time access info. We'll keep updating as we hear more ahead of the fall season.

Update — July 26, 2026

The prefectural closure of the state forests (Fontainebleau, Trois-Pignons, and la Commanderie) has been extended through July 31, 2026 inclusive — pushed back from the original July 26 date. The prefecture cited persistent fire-weather risk, depleted local firefighting capacity after the recent blaze, and firefighters being pulled to other major fires elsewhere in France (Gironde, Var) as reasons for the extension. Don't assume access resumes on any given date without checking first — this deadline has already moved once. Check the ONF's forest status page or the Seine-et-Marne prefecture site before heading out.

One thing worth clarifying, since we've had questions about specific sectors: not every well-known climbing area around Font sits inside the three state forests covered by this closure order. A few popular sectors are on separate, town- or region-owned land:

Petit Bois and Rocher Gréau (Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours) sit on land owned by the town of Nemours, not the ONF-managed state forest.

Les Mammouths, also near Nemours, is in the forêt communale de Nemours (also called forêt du Rocher Vert) — again, town property, not part of the Fontainebleau/Trois-Pignons/Commanderie domain.

Buthiers — 5km from our Boulancourt base and the closest climbing area for most of our Fly&Climb guests — is part of the Île de loisirs de Buthiers, a regional leisure park, not the ONF forest.

That means these sectors technically fall outside the scope of the prefectural decree. It does not automatically mean they're open or safe to climb — local mairies and site operators can and do impose their own restrictions, especially with fire risk still elevated across the whole region. But if you're trying to figure out where you might still be able to climb while the main forest stays closed, these are the sectors to ask local contacts about first, rather than assuming they're swept into the same blanket ban as Fontainebleau proper.

Updated July 22, 2026 — jump to the latest

If you're planning a fall trip to Font, you've probably already heard: a major wildfire tore through part of the forest this month. Here's what actually happened, what's still unknown, and what it likely means for your trip.

Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite image, 13 July 2026, showing the smoke plume and burn scar over Fontainebleau forest. Credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery.

What happened

On Sunday, July 12, 2026, a wildfire broke out in the Fontainebleau forest (Seine-et-Marne), about 60km southeast of Paris, during France's third major heatwave in two months. A second fire broke out nearby the following day. Over roughly 48 hours, the two fires burned an estimated 1,900–2,050 hectares — around 5% of the forest, and an area roughly three times the size of Gibraltar. Some of the burning came within 2km of the château.

Around 850 firefighters, 200 vehicles, and six aircraft, including Canadair water bombers, were deployed — the first time Canadairs have operated this close to Paris. About 1,000 people were evacuated as a precaution, including guests at a campsite on the forest's edge, and the A6 motorway was closed for a period while crews worked.

By July 14, officials described the fires as contained, though not yet fully extinguished. As of this writing, the fires are no longer progressing.

Who or what started it

Two people have been arrested in connection with the fires. According to the Fontainebleau prosecutor, one was a 19-year-old volunteer firefighter who admitted to using gasoline and a lighter to set fire to dry vegetation; a second suspect said they accidentally started a separate fire by discarding a lit cigarette. Investigations are ongoing, and this fits a grim wider pattern: France's interior minister reported that more than 32,000 hectares nationwide have burned since the start of 2026 — already more than all of the 2025 fire season combined.

Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMSR894) rapid-mapping image of the fire extent, 13 July 2026. Credit: European Union, contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data, processed with Copernicus Browser.

What this means for the fall season

We don't yet have an official sector-by-sector closure map — that will come from the ONF (Office National des Forêts) and local climbing organizations as damage assessment and cleanup continue over the summer. But here's what to reasonably expect:

Burned sectors will likely stay closed into fall. Beyond the obvious loss of boulders to soot and heat damage, burned woodland carries real risk from falling dead trees, unstable rock, and ash — the kind of hazards that don't resolve on their own timeline.
Access roads and parking may be affected in and around the burn zone, even after the forest itself reopens.
Crowding elsewhere. If popular sectors near the burn area stay closed, expect more traffic at unaffected classic areas as everyone redistributes.
This is still evolving. The fires were only fully contained a few days ago as of this post. Official guidance will firm up over the coming weeks.

Climbing responsibly in Fontainebleau

Fire precautions, specifically for now:

Check the Seine-et-Marne préfecture's fire vigilance map and current arrêtés (orders) before you leave home — restrictions can be issued or lifted quickly during heatwaves. Earlier this summer the prefecture closed the entire Trois Pignons forest during a red heat alert, and separately banned any heat- or spark-producing tools and equipment in forest areas between 1pm and 8pm.
No smoking, no campfires, no barbecues, no discarded cigarette butts — anywhere in the forest, at any time. One of the two people arrested over this fire reportedly started it by dropping a lit cigarette.
Don't park on dry grass or vegetation. A hot exhaust or catalytic converter is enough to start a fire.
If you see smoke or flames, call 18 or 112 immediately. Don't assume it's already been reported, and don't try to put it out yourself.
Treat closures and barriers as absolute, even if a sector looks untouched. They're there for your safety and the forest's recovery, not as a suggestion.

Good practice year-round, fire season or not:

Never climb on wet or damp sandstone. Font's grès is soft and genuinely fragile when wet — holds can crumble or snap off under load, permanently destroying classic problems. Local guidance is to wait at least 24–48 hours after rain before getting back on the rock, longer after a heavy spell.
Brush gently, with soft brushes only. Wire brushes and heavy-handed brushing round off the sandstone's crystal texture and can turn a good hold into a polished, unusable one over time.
Favor pof (resin powder) over chalk where it's the local norm. COSIROC, the regional body that manages access to Fontainebleau's climbing sites, generally recommends pof as gentler on the rock and less visually intrusive than heavy chalk buildup.
Stay on marked trails and circuits between boulders. The forest's sandy soil erodes quickly under foot traffic, and cutting between problems damages the surrounding heathland.
Pack out everything you bring in — tape, brush bristles, chalk balls, wrappers — and brush off obvious tick marks when you're done with a problem.
Park only in designated areas. Forest roads need to stay clear for emergency and firefighting access.
Respect other seasonal closures too (nesting birds, protected flora), not just fire-related ones — Font is a working ecosystem, not just a crag.

What to do before you book

Check the ONF's Fontainebleau forest status page and active local climbing forums/associations for current closures shortly before your trip — not months in advance.
Don't climb in or enter any area still marked as burned or taped off, even if the rock looks fine. The forest needs time to regenerate, and hazard assessments take time.
Have a backup plan. If your usual sectors are closed, know a couple of alternative areas going in.

We'll keep this post updated as official information becomes available, including affected sectors and reopening timelines.

Update — July 22, 2026

Ten days on, here's what's changed and what we now know.

The forest is still closed — and the closure was extended. By prefectural order, the state forests of Fontainebleau, Trois-Pignons, and la Commanderie remain off-limits to the public until July 26, 2026 inclusive. This is a hard closure, not a recommendation: it covers all forest roads, trails, and parcels. No reopening date has been announced beyond that.

The final burn count: about 2,000 hectares, roughly 10% of the massif — the largest fire documented in the forest in over a century. Four biological reserves were burned through, and the public reception areas in those zones are described by the ONF as calcined. Soil and water samples from the burned zones have shown no toxicity, according to the préfecture.

The A6 has reopened. The motorway, closed in an emergency on July 12, reopened to traffic the evening of July 16 after four days of major disruption.

Which bouldering sectors were likely affected. Based on Copernicus satellite analysis (reported by French climbing outlets Grimpactu and PlanetGrimpe), dozens of well-known circuits fall within or near the burned areas, including: Bois de la Garenne, Bois des Grands Béorlots, Bois des Hauts de Milly, Bois du Rocher, Carrefour du Guetteur, les Cavachelins, le Cimetière aux Ânes, le Comptage, le Diplodocus, la Grande Montagne, la Justice de Noisy, le Moine, le Mont Rouget, le Pignon des Poivres, la Roche aux Sabots, le Rocher Cailleau, le Rocher de la Cathédrale, le Rocher de la Tortue, le Rocher des Gros Sablons, le Rocher du Général, le Rocher du Potala, le Rocher Fin, le Rocher Guichot, les Sables du Cul du Chien, la Vallée Chaude, la Vallée de la Mée, la Gorge aux Archers, les Bois des Petits Béorlots, la Plaine de la Haute Borne, la Gorge aux Mérisiers, la Mare aux Corneilles, le Mont Aigu, le Mont Enflammé, les Petits Feuillards, la Plaine du Puits du Cormier, le Polygone, le Rocher de la Combe, le Rocher de la Salamandre, le Rocher du Long Boyau, and the Rochers et Platières des Gorges du Houx.

This is a satellite-based first read, not a confirmed damage assessment — some of these sectors may have only been lightly touched at the margins, others more severely. Only ONF field diagnostics, carried out sector by sector over the coming weeks, will say for sure. One encouraging note: Fontainebleau's sandstone is relatively fire-resistant, and boulders in burned zones aren't expected to be structurally disfigured — but clearing fallen trees and debris around them will take time.

Why the closure is lasting this long. It's not precautionary box-ticking. Fire-damaged trees have burned root systems and can become unstable and fall weeks or even months after the flames are out — a real hazard for anyone walking or climbing underneath. Some hotspots, including peat-layer "zombie fires" that smolder underground, are still being actively monitored, particularly around Noisy-sur-École. And the ONF has asked for time to let the ecosystem stabilize without foot traffic.

Recovery will be measured in decades, not seasons. ONF fire-defense expert Rémi Savazzi has said that in areas where everything burned, it will take 80 to 150 years to see mature trees again; areas burned only in the understory will recover faster. The ONF has deliberately chosen not to replant systematically, instead letting natural regeneration favor tree species more resilient to a changing climate. Wildlife is a real concern too — the massif hosts around 6,600 animal species, and ground-nesting heathland birds like the Dartford warbler (fauvette pitchou) and woodlark (alouette lulu) are among the species whose habitat burned. If you want to help injured wildlife, the LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux) has guidance on how to do it safely — well-meaning gestures like leaving out water can sometimes do more harm than good.

The investigation has advanced. Two 18-year-old men have been formally indicted for arson ("destruction par incendie") and placed in pre-trial detention: one, a volunteer firefighter with no prior record, admitted to lighting twigs with a lighter and petrol at Arbonne-la-Forêt; the other admitted to starting a fire near the Faisanderie/Grand Parquet area — a well-known climbing zone — by discarding a lit cigarette. Separately, two workers from a contracting company are suspected of accidentally triggering the original July 12 fire near the A6 at Noisy-sur-École: sparks from a thermal disc cutter used on guardrail work are believed to have ignited nearby vegetation.

The climbing community has mobilized. Local groups — the Club du Lucane Agile de Coquibus, working with COSIROC, along with RespectBleau, Fanatic Climbing, and the Salon de l'Escalade — have raised over €25,000 for forest restoration via HelloAsso. Separately, the Fondation du Patrimoine's "Sauvons la forêt de Fontainebleau" campaign has raised more than €380,000 toward regeneration, site safety work, and biodiversity preservation. Links to both are below if you'd like to contribute.

Bottom line for planning a fall trip: don't expect a quick return to business as usual. Even once the closure lifts, expect a patchwork — some sectors reopening on a rolling basis as they're cleared and secured, others staying closed for a long time. We'll keep updating this post as the ONF publishes sector-by-sector status.

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