Firefighters in France took part in a demonstration on September 29, 2026, to voice concerns about inadequate resources and budgeting. The event, organized by unions, included fireworks and howling sirens, and saw several thousand firefighters march through Paris. According to an intersyndical spokesperson, around 8,000 people participated. The procession began at Place d'Italie and included a group marching along the Parisian ring road. Firefighters carried banners with slogans such as "resources, not miracles" and wore "on strike" scratch-off stickers on their uniforms. The firefighters are demanding a significant boost to the budget for civil protection and better funding for the Departmental Fire and Rescue Services (Sdis). The budget for civil protection has grown from about 450 million euros in 2017 to 800 million euros in 2026, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. However, the firefighters argue that this increase is still not enough to meet current challenges. A proposed finance bill had suggested a 120% increase, moving from 452 million euros in 2019 to 995 million euros in 2026, but some parts of the plan were reduced. For example, an order for two Canadian air tankers in 2024 was canceled due to budget cuts. Although the civil protection budget has increased, it is mainly funded by local authorities, which have been reducing spending in recent years. Between 2017 and 2025, the total expenses of the Sdis have increased by 27% without accounting for inflation, according to data from the Observatory of Local Finances and Public Management. When adjusted for inflation, the increase in investment expenses is about 17%. The number of forest fire water tank trucks has dropped by nearly 1,000, from 4,980 in 2006 to about 3,000 to 4,000 in 2026, according to the General Directorate of Civil Protection. Since President Emmanuel Macron took office, the fleet has seen only a slight recovery of 4.25%. Additionally, since 2000, 30% of fire stations have closed, according to union organizations. Firefighters have faced a growing workload over the years, with the number of interventions increasing by 30% over twenty years. The share of emergency assistance to people has risen from 59% to 87% of missions. The average time for the first vehicle to arrive at an incident has increased from 12 minutes and 30 seconds in 2014 to 15 minutes and 9 seconds in 2025, according to Xavier Boy, an intersyndical spokesperson. Firefighters have also experienced a significant increase in workload, with 17 fires covering more than 5,000 hectares in France since 1973, only six since 2021 and already two in 2026, according to Sébastien Delavoux, a firefighter and CGT Sdis network animator. Union organizations estimate that in the long term, it would take 2 billion euros and 21,000 professional firefighters to ensure proper functioning, based on a 2025 report by the General Inspection of Administration. Firefighters are also calling for more professional firefighters, as the current system relies heavily on volunteers. In 2013, President François Hollande set a goal of 200,000 firefighters, which was only reached twelve years later. The unions estimate that around 3,000 firefighters have passed the necessary exams but are still waiting for positions at fire stations.