Fontainebleau is a large woodland about 60 kilometres south of central Paris, a mix of oak and pine known also for its rock formations, climbing and walking.

Restoring a burnt forest is not simply replanting. Scorched topsoil loses its organic matter and washes away in rain, and how much of the stumps and standing deadwood is removed shapes what the next forest looks like.

Southern and western Europe have seen more summer wildfires in recent years. Longer dry spells and higher temperatures have brought fire to areas once considered low risk.

Views on method diverge: replant quickly, or let natural regeneration bring native species back on their own. Either way the timescale runs to decades.

We could not confirm official figures for the burnt area or the cause. What is confirmed is that there was a fire and that restoration is being discussed.