Wildfires raging in a forest south of Paris have devoured more land overnight, firefighters said yesterday, ahead of France’s national day celebrations.

The fire erupted Sunday in the sprawling Fontainebleau forest some 60 kilometres (40 miles) southeast of the capital, former royal hunting grounds that are dotted with quiet villages and are popular with hikers and climbers.

A second, smaller fire erupted a day later and the blazes have now scorched more than 1,900 hectares (4,700 acres) -- an area roughly three times the size of Gibraltar, firefighters said yesterday.

With some 850 firefighters battling the flames with the help of specialised aircraft, authorities are hoping to gain the upper hand on the flames during the day, said Paul-Edouard Laurain, spokesman for the regional firefighters.

France yesterday celebrated July 14 national day, which is usually accompanied by evening fireworks. With the region sweltering through its third heatwave in as many months, many towns throughout France have cancelled their annual firework displays, but many are set off illegally.