Monitoring · Météo-France
Forest weather: the map showing the risk of fire
Every day around 5.00 pm During the fire season, Météo-France publishes the fire danger level for each department, for the following day and the day after that. Four colours, from green to red, reveal an unsettling truth: 9 out of 10 lights are caused by human action — almost always through carelessness.
Key points
- A map published by Météo-France every day at around 5.00 pm during the season, for the following day (D+1) and the day after that (D+2).
- 4 danger levels by department: green (low), yellow (moderate), orange (high), red (very high).
- Developed by cross-referencing the drought affecting vegetation, temperature, humidity and wind.
- A tool for prevention, not a map of current fires: it shows where a fire would likely start.
- Launched after the summer of 2022, because 9 out of 10 successful starts are man-made.
A tool born out of the dark season of 2022
The summer of 2022 left a lasting impression: massive wildfires in Gironde, fires in regions that had previously been spared, and a risk six times higher than the ten-year average. During a visit to the Gard, the President of the Republic called for the creation of a tool to raise public awareness of the risk of wildfires.
The answer came the very next year: the 2 June 2023, Météo-France is launching the ‘Forest Weather Forecast’, developed in collaboration with the National Forestry Office (ONF). Published every summer since then, the map is gradually becoming second nature, just like the standard weather warnings.
Record season: massive wildfires in Gironde, with the risk of fire six times higher than the ten-year average.
Météo-France is officially launching the Forest Weather Service, in collaboration with the National Forestry Office.
The scheme is repeated every season, from June to September, and is gradually becoming part of the public’s routine.
The fourth full season, during a summer marked by the major fire in Lacanau, in the Gironde.
The four levels of danger
The strength of the Forest Weather Forecast lies in its clarity: a quick glance is all it takes. Each department is colour-coded according to the predicted fire risk.
- Green — low risk : conditions are not conducive to fires breaking out; the usual vigilance is still required.
- Yellow — moderate danger : There is a risk ; we must be extra vigilant and avoid any risky behaviour in natural areas.
- Orange — high risk : conditions conducive to a fire starting and spreading rapidly ; the utmost caution is required.
- Red — very high risk : even the slightest movement can spiral out of control; any risky behaviour must be strictly prohibited.
How the card is made
Behind the four colours lies scientific research carried out by Météo-France in collaboration with the ONF, which combines two sets of data.
Weather conditions
First ingredient: the weather forecast. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation determine whether or not the atmosphere is conducive to fires breaking out and spreading.
The condition of the vegetation
The second ingredient, which is just as crucial: the drought affecting vegetation and soil. A waterlogged forest does not burn well; when parched by weeks without rain, it becomes a fuel source.
A departmental network
The information is provided to thedepartmental level : a deliberate balance between precision and simplicity, ensuring a clear message that everyone can understand.
Two cards every day
Daily publication to 5.00 pm During the season: one timetable for the following day (D+1), one for the day after that (D+2). This allows you to plan your activities 48 hours in advance.
How to read — and, above all, use — the map
There’s no point in consulting the map if you don’t act on what you find. Before heading out into the woods, having a barbecue or carrying out work near natural areas, check the water level for the day: the higher the colour code, the more high-risk activities must be avoided — No open fires or cigarettes in woodland areas; no tools that produce sparks; barbecues must be kept well away from any vegetation.
The Forest Weather Forecast is available on the Météo-France website and app; you can also find it on our Forest Weather Map, updated daily, alongside the fire risk map. On the most critical days, it also provides illumination for the operational system: it is on these very high-risk days that the Civil Protection Service activates the Armed Aerial Surveillance of the Dash 8.
What the Forest Weather Service is not
To use the tool effectively, it is worth clearing up three common misunderstandings.
- This is not a map of current fires. It is predictive: it assesses risk, but does not pinpoint active fires — for that, see the map of current fires.
- This isn’t your typical weather warning. The weather watch covers thunderstorms, heatwaves and storms; the Forest Weather Service is a specific scheme focused solely on the risk of forest fires.
- This is not a prohibition order. The map provides information and raises awareness; it is the prefectures that regulate or, where necessary, close off access to the mountain ranges.
To put it simply: a compass, not a radar or a set of rules. It points the way to caution — it’s up to each of us to follow it.
Forest Weather at a Glance
| Nature | A scheme to promote prevention and raise public awareness |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Météo-France, in collaboration with the National Forestry Office (ONF) |
| Launch | 2 June 2023 |
| Period | Summer season, from June to September |
| Time of publication | Every day at around 5 pm |
| Forecast horizon | The following day (D+1) and the day after that (D+2) |
| Geographical scale | The department |
| Danger levels | 4: low (green), moderate (yellow), high (orange), very high (red) |
| Cross-referenced data | Drought affecting vegetation and soil, temperature, air humidity, wind |
| Access | Météo-France website and app — republished on feuxdeforet.fr |
Prevent or alert? Two complementary acts of civic responsibility
Forest Weather and public reporting come into play at two different stages: before a fire breaks out, and the moment it does.
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
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
Frequently Asked Questions about Forest Weather
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.