Fire in Ris-Orangis, Essonne, extinguished; N104 highway reopened following over 24-hour shutdown.
The Landfill Fire in Ris-Orangis: An Ongoing Issue
Ici Paris Ile-de-France reported that the N104 reopened on Friday evening, following a 24-plus-hour closure due to a landfill fire near the Ris-Orangis racetrack in Essonne. Although the blaze is under control, it's yet to be completely extinguished.
François Durovray, the president of the Essonne departmental council, shared his concerns about the state's inaction with ICI Paris Ile-de-France. He expressed frustration over the decade-long state of neglect at the site, which belongs to the Ministry of the Interior and has been a source of contention.
Currently, 85 firefighters are still battling the flames, and they will continue their efforts throughout the weekend. The fire, which ignited on Thursday at a waste storage site, spewed out thick black smoke and caused significant traffic disruptions. Although the N104 was reopened on Friday evening, several access roads, including the RN 446, RN 440, and RN 449, remain closed.
According to firefighters, the debris pile covers an area of around 3,600m², and reaching the fire's epicenter requires bulldozers to clear the rubble. Despite this, air quality measurements from the Airparif stations do not show any significant pollution. The prefecture, however, advises nearby residents to stay indoors and keep their windows shut as a precaution.
To elaborate, the fire initially broke out on Thursday, June 26, 2025, in an unoccupied Roma camp near the old racetrack, spreading across about 700 square meters of waste. The local authorities have been calling for coordinated state action for years to address the waste dumps on this site[3]. The nearby municipality has raised concerns about the fire's safety implications and its potential negative impact on air quality and local traffic.
In conclusion, the ongoing fire in Ris-Orangis poses significant safety and public health concerns, calls for higher-level intervention to correct the problem of the uncontrolled waste dump, and is likely causing traffic disruptions and potential air quality issues in the surrounding areas. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
- Justice for the residents of Ris-Orangis could be achieved through effective policy-and-legislation, addressing the long-ignored issue of the uncontrolled waste dump that is posing safety and public health concerns.
- The general news landscape should prioritize reporting on accidents like the landfill fire in Ris-Orangis, highlighting the need for political action to prevent such incidents and ensure proper handling of waste disposal.
- As fires continue to burn at the Ris-Orangis landfill, it's crucial for local authorities to take immediate action, not just to extinguish the fires but also to prevent further car-accidents and fires that may be caused by smoke or traffic disruptions in the vicinity.
