A 22-year-old volunteer firefighter from Savoie lost his life on Wednesday 8 July 2026, whilst he had been battling a wildfire for part of the night. A member of the Albertville Fire and Rescue Service, he was responding to a fire in Planay when he was fatally injured.
A night-time operation to tackle a forest fire
The Home Secretary, Laurent Nuñez, announced the news on X (formerly Twitter), expressing his deep emotion: " It was with deep sadness that I learnt this morning of the death of a young volunteer firefighter from SDIS 73, aged 22, who died whilst on duty after spending part of the night fighting a forest fire in Savoie. My deepest sympathies go out to his family, his loved ones and all his fellow firefighters. The nation pays tribute to his memory and shares in the grief of all those who knew him and served alongside him."
According to the Savoie fire service, the young corporal was on duty at a fire in progress in the municipality of Planay. The exact circumstances of the accident are yet to be determined, but according to a gendarmerie source quoted by BFMTV, a rockfall is believed to have caused the firefighter to fall into a ravine. Around thirty firefighters had been deployed to tackle the blaze. No other injuries were reported. This incident serves as a reminder of the dangers faced by firefighters when responding to incidents in the countryside, particularly in difficult conditions.
The editorial team at feuxdeforet.fr shares in the grief of the family and loved ones of the volunteer firefighter, as well as that of all firefighters in France.