France fights fires, battles Spaniards in soccer as it celebrates Bastille Day

France is celebrating Bastille Day on Tuesday, the country’s largest national holiday. The celebrations coincide with a number of news stories coming out of the country.

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Les Bleus, the nickname for the French national team, will face off against its southern neighbor Spain on Tuesday at 1 p.m. in the FIFA World Cup semifinals. A win would mark the first time the country has won a World Cup game on its national holiday. A loss would, well, dampen the celebrations.

Meanwhile, firefighters are continuing to tame wildfires that are raging through the center of the country. In Fontainebleau, a forested area to the southeast of Paris, a fire has consumed nearly 2,000 hectares, according to The Associated Press.

Celebrations in France’s parade included Ukrainian soldiers marching with French soldiers, a move that demonstrated France’s solidarity with Ukraine in its war with Russia.

France celebrates its national holiday on July 14 to commemorate the day the Bastille was raided in 1789, symbolically beginning the French Revolution.

On that day, Frenchmen raided the Paris prison and freed seven people: four forgers, two mentally ill patients and a murderer. Following the prison break, they began rioting in the street, a tradition that the French still practice often after they lose (or win) a football match.

The country, now on its fifth republic (the U.S. is still on its first), celebrates the three ideals of the revolution: liberty, equality and brotherhood. Three ideals that have been firmly in place and wholly untouched since 1789.

France celebrates Bastille Day with parade in Paris

A military parade was held in France on Tuesday as military personnel and machines marched near the Champs-Élysées.

In the evening, fireworks will light the night sky as the French celebrate with concerts, dancing and cheese.

French President Emmanuel Macron was accompanied by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for many events. Ukrainian soldiers also marched in the parade as a show of France’s support for Ukraine.

Another famous Bastille tradition is the “Bal des Pompiers,” or the Ball of Firemen. Fire departments across France open their doors to host parties that help to fund the country’s fire department.

France vs. Spain

Les Bleus are looking to head to the World Cup final for the third consecutive tournament. In 2018, France defeated Croatia to earn its “deuxième étoile,” or second World Cup trophy.

France again made the finals in 2022. Early on in the match, France went down 2-0 to Argentina. Despite a heroic hat trick by star player Kylian Mbappé, France ultimately lost to Lionel Messi’s team in a penalty shootout.

In the history of the World Cup, Mbappé has the second most goals scored at 20 total. He is second only to Messi, who will play his semifinal match on Wednesday against England.

France, a country whose mascot is a rooster, is favored to win Tuesday’s match.

Wildfires burn near Paris

Multiple fires are burning across France, mostly in the central area of the country. Planes have been seen scooping water from the Seine in order to combat the fires.

As many as 1,000 people have been evacuated from the fires near Paris. Two weeks ago, over 10,000 people were forced to evacuate from fires in the south of France.

French authorities have arrested two people suspected of causing the Fontainebleau fires and 59 more have been arrested in connection with other fires.

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