Monitoring · Participatory
Public reporting: the right thing to do if a fire breaks out
Before using the Canadair for the first time, there is a check to be carried out. The correct procedure consists of two steps: call the 112 or 18 — text ‘114’ for deaf or hard-of-hearing people —, then submit a geolocation alert on feuxdeforet.fr, which alerts local residents. A few seconds that could save a forest.
Key points
- The first thing to do is to call the 112 or 18 — the 114 by text message for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- The the opening minutes decide the outcome of a fire: if a fire is reported early, it can be brought under control.
- After the call, a geolocation alert On feuxdeforet.fr, residents in the area are being alerted.
- On the phone: a specific location, what you can see, what is under threat — and you must not hang up without the operator’s permission.
- Never Approaching the fire to ‘see better’: get to safety first, then raise the alarm.
Why every report matters
A forest fire looks very different in the first minute than it does in the tenth. If caught at a very early stage, a fire can be contained with limited resources; if left unchecked, the same fire can, within a matter of tens of minutes, mobilise hundreds of firefighters, aircraft and some helicopters — and endanger lives.
That is precisely the crux of citizen reporting: shorten the timeframe between the outbreak of the fire and the emergency services being alerted. This time is in the hands of witnesses — provided they do not think to themselves, ‘Someone else must surely have called already’. The summer of 2026, marked by the major fire in Lacanau in Gironde, serves as a reminder that this vigilance concerns everyone, everywhere.
If you see smoke, flames or smell something burning, get yourself to safety first.
Dial 112 or 18 — or 114 by text message if you are deaf or hard of hearing — and describe what you can see. The emergency services will respond.
Once the alert has been raised, you should submit a geolocated report on feuxdeforet.fr.
Local residents have been alerted and the community is keeping an eye on developments: vigilance has become a collective effort.
The right response, in two steps
It all hinges on a simple sequence of steps, which you should remember and pass on to those around you. The order is non-negotiable: first, emergency services; then, the community.
1. First of all, 112 or 18
It’s the call that saves lives: it sets the whole emergency response chain in motion. Dial 112, the European emergency number, or the 18 the fire service. Deaf or hard-of-hearing people : the 114, by text message. Our information sheet Call 112 explains the process step by step.
2. Next, the geolocated alert
Once the emergency services have been alerted, report the fire at feuxdeforet.fr : your report, with geolocation, warn residents in the area and helps to keep the first French-speaking community dedicated to forest fire risk on its toes.
These two actions are not interchangeable: reporting on the platform never replaces He supplements the emergency call. One triggers the response; the other alerts those living nearby.
What to say to the emergency services on the phone
The operator will guide you through the process, but providing some clear information will save you valuable time :
- The location, as precisely as possible : town, road or hamlet; visible landmarks around you (sign, pylon, crossroads, terrain).
- What you see : smoke or flames, colour and size of the plume, apparent scale, and wind direction if you can estimate it.
- What appears to be under threat : people, buildings, vehicles or animals in the vicinity.
Two golden rules to finish with : keep in touch — do not hang up until the operator asks you to; they may need further details — and Don’t take any risks. A bushfire spreads quickly and can change direction in an instant: never approach it ‘just to get a better look’.
Geolocated reports on feuxdeforet.fr
Once the alert has been raised, the report on feuxdeforet.fr makes perfect sense. In a matter of seconds, you can pinpoint the start of the fire on the map; the information, which is geolocated, triggers an alert for residents in the area and adds to the map of current fires, which is accessed by the whole community.
Reporting on feuxdeforet.fr isn’t about replacing the fire service — it’s about joining a community. The larger and more active the community, the more the culture of risk awareness grows and the more the reflex becomes widespread: the best way to protect our forests isn’t just a fleet of aircraft; it’s also a population that knows what to do — and does it.
Citizen reporting at a glance
| Priority action | Call 112 (European emergency number) or 18 (fire brigade) |
|---|---|
| Deaf and hard-of-hearing people | 114, accessible via text message |
| Additional action | Geolocated report on feuxdeforet.fr, following the call |
| Effect of the alert | Alert to local residents, shared with the community |
| To be passed on to the emergency services | Exact location, nature and extent of the fire; people or property at risk |
| During the roll call | Stay on the line; do not hang up without the operator’s permission |
| Safety | Never approach the fire — raise the alarm from a safe place |
| Things to avoid | Assuming that ‘someone else has already called’ |
Alert or anticipate? Two complementary actions
Citizen reporting and the Forest Weather Service come into play at two different stages: the moment a fire breaks out, and before it breaks out.
Report by a member of the public
- Alert tool for emergencies
- I take action when I see a fire starting
- I’ll ring 112 or 18, then I’ll report
- The procedure: raise the alarm, then pinpoint the location
- Logic: to make the most of the decisive moments
Forest weather
- A preventative tool, at an early stage
- I assess the risk before taking action
- I adjust my risky behaviour
- The action: look at the map
- Logic: prevent the fire from spreading
Frequently Asked Questions about reporting by members of the public
Follow these updates live.
Aircraft and helicopters in the air, active fires, today’s alerts: the real-time maps on the Forest Fires website link each page in this section to the situation on the ground. And if you witness a fire breaking out, call 112 first and foremost.