Bastille Day celebrations in France tempered by fear of more wildfires

Key Points:

• Emmanuel Macron presided over his final Bastille Day parade in Paris, joined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and other leaders, highlighting European unity amid the Ukraine war.
• The parade featured nearly 6,700 troops, including about 500 soldiers from Western allies and 25 Ukrainian soldiers, alongside a large flypast with aircraft from multiple European countries, signaling Europe's strategic awakening and support for Ukraine.
• Severe heatwaves and wildfires across France led to the cancellation of many traditional Bastille Day fireworks and firefighters’ balls to reduce fire risks and emergency service strain, with significant wildfires burning the Fontainebleau forest and forcing evacuations.
• Authorities are investigating the Fontainebleau wildfires as potential arson, with two arrests made, amid a record-breaking fire season in France that has burned 32,000 hectares so far this year, surpassing previous years.
• Bastille Day also marked the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Nice terror attack, with a minute’s silence planned before France’s World Cup semi-final match, and the Eiffel Tower fireworks held early out of respect for the victims.