French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, July 16, said there would be "zero tolerance" for arson after France was hit by wildfires that have scorched thousands of hectares.

Axar.az reports, citing Le Monde, that Macron made the remarks during a visit to the historic Fontainebleau forest near Paris, where more than 2,000 hectares have burned since July 5.

According to the French president, around 35,000 hectares have been impacted by fires – more than during the entire 2025 fire season. He said France has never faced so many outbreaks of fire across the country since the end of World War II.

Authorities said dozens of people have been arrested across the country for starting fires deliberately or accidentally, including six suspects linked to the Fontainebleau blaze.

Macron also announced a funding drive to raise money to rehabilitate and protect the forest, a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

It should be noted that on July 13, officials reported that the wildfire had spread across 1,000 hectares. At the time, train services on part of the South-East high-speed rail line were suspended, causing delays of more than three and a half hours on some routes.