Wildfire near Paris engulfs more than 2,000 hectares, official says

The full extinguishing of a forest fire that has burned through more than 2,000 hectares near the town of Fontainebleau south of Paris could take several weeks, according to Francis Coma, a representative of France's National Federation of Fire and Rescue Services.

Coma said firefighters are currently identifying and eliminating smouldering hotspots using drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

According to French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, the blaze had been brought under control, and its further spread had been halted.

More than 800 firefighters, four aircraft and several helicopters have been deployed in the operation.

The fire broke out on July 12 and spread across more than 2,000 hectares over the following days, affecting around 10% of the Fontainebleau forest area.

Strong winds and hot weather contributed to the rapid spread of the flames.

Nunez made it clear that one of the leading theories regarding the cause of the fire is arson.

Two suspects, aged 18 and 20, have already been detained in connection with the investigation.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov