Parts of the important A6 motorway running between Paris and Lyon have had to be closed because of the fire, which by the early hours of Monday morning had covered 800 hectares.
Thousands of road users travelling ahead of Tuesday's National Day celebrations and the first weekend of the industrial holiday have had to take detours or postpone their trips.
According to Le Parisien, no injuries have been reported, but the fire is described as aggressive and “on an exceptional scale.” The newspaper reports that more than 370 firefighters and 130 vehicles are fighting various fires in the area.
The flames have also caused major delays in train services to Gare de Lyon in Paris.
The third heatwave since May is affecting the region around the capital, and the fire risk has increased.
