Marseille airport closed as high winds fan wildfire
MARSEILLE : A fast-moving wildfire in southern France, fanned by winds of up to 70kph, led to the closure of Marseille Provence airport today and was getting very close to France's second-largest city itself, officials said.
The local fire service said on X that 168 firefighters had been deployed to fight the blaze of around 30 hectares near the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, north of Marseille.
Fire engines and helicopters were also being used.
'It's very striking – apocalyptic even,' Monique Baillard, a resident of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, told Reuters.
She said many of her neighbours had already left, even if there were no evacuation orders, adding: 'We're staying unless the firefighters tell us to evacuate.'
'The smoke is very striking, very acrid,' said another resident, Jacqueline Revilla.
'We were ordered to stay confined via a message on our mobile phones. We're waiting for further updates for now.'
Michel Amiel, the mayor of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, told BFM TV that two housing estates had been evacuated.
'At this stage, populations must remain confined to residential areas,' the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur prefecture posted on X. 'Close shutters, doors, keep your property clear for emergency services, and do not travel on the roads.'
The fire could be smelled in the centre of Marseille, a resident said, with smoke covering parts of the city.
'The fire is spreading,' the Marseille municipality said on X.
'Avoid all outdoor activities and do not block emergency access routes. Follow instructions and alert messages.'
A spokesman at the mayor's office for the 15th and 16th boroughs of Marseille, which border the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, said the area on the outer limits of the city was increasingly threatened by the fire, and covered in thick smoke.
The spokesman said they were awaiting instructions from firefighters on whether to begin evacuations, and said residents were very concerned.
As the fire was spreading, residents of the 16th borough were also instructed by the prefecture to stay home, close doors and shutters and put damp cloths on any openings.
A spokesman for Marseille airport, France's fourth-busiest, said planes had not been taking off or landing since around midday and some flights had been diverted to Nice, Nimes and other regional airports.
It was unclear when the airport would reopen.
Meanwhile, a wildfire that started near Narbonne, in southwestern France, yesterday was still active, fanned by winds of 60kph.
Some 2,000 hectares have burnt, the local prefecture said.
Wildfires were also raging in northeastern Spain, where large parts of the country were on high alert for fires.
Last week there were fires on the Greek island of Crete and in Athens, as much of Europe sweltered in an early summer heatwave.
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Free Malaysia Today
4 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Marseille airport closed as high winds fan wildfire
Planes have not been taking off or landing since around midday at Marseille Provence airport. (AFP pic) MARSEILLE : A fast-moving wildfire in southern France, fanned by winds of up to 70kph, led to the closure of Marseille Provence airport today and was getting very close to France's second-largest city itself, officials said. The local fire service said on X that 168 firefighters had been deployed to fight the blaze of around 30 hectares near the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, north of Marseille. Fire engines and helicopters were also being used. 'It's very striking – apocalyptic even,' Monique Baillard, a resident of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, told Reuters. She said many of her neighbours had already left, even if there were no evacuation orders, adding: 'We're staying unless the firefighters tell us to evacuate.' 'The smoke is very striking, very acrid,' said another resident, Jacqueline Revilla. 'We were ordered to stay confined via a message on our mobile phones. We're waiting for further updates for now.' Michel Amiel, the mayor of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, told BFM TV that two housing estates had been evacuated. 'At this stage, populations must remain confined to residential areas,' the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur prefecture posted on X. 'Close shutters, doors, keep your property clear for emergency services, and do not travel on the roads.' The fire could be smelled in the centre of Marseille, a resident said, with smoke covering parts of the city. 'The fire is spreading,' the Marseille municipality said on X. 'Avoid all outdoor activities and do not block emergency access routes. Follow instructions and alert messages.' A spokesman at the mayor's office for the 15th and 16th boroughs of Marseille, which border the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, said the area on the outer limits of the city was increasingly threatened by the fire, and covered in thick smoke. The spokesman said they were awaiting instructions from firefighters on whether to begin evacuations, and said residents were very concerned. As the fire was spreading, residents of the 16th borough were also instructed by the prefecture to stay home, close doors and shutters and put damp cloths on any openings. A spokesman for Marseille airport, France's fourth-busiest, said planes had not been taking off or landing since around midday and some flights had been diverted to Nice, Nimes and other regional airports. It was unclear when the airport would reopen. Meanwhile, a wildfire that started near Narbonne, in southwestern France, yesterday was still active, fanned by winds of 60kph. Some 2,000 hectares have burnt, the local prefecture said. Wildfires were also raging in northeastern Spain, where large parts of the country were on high alert for fires. Last week there were fires on the Greek island of Crete and in Athens, as much of Europe sweltered in an early summer heatwave.
Malay Mail
09-07-2025
- Malay Mail
Wildfire near Marseille forces airport shutdown, hundreds evacuated as France braces for high-risk summer
MARSEILLE, July 9 — A wildfire in southern France yesterday that forced Marseille airport to close and interrupted train traffic has not been fully contained, the country's interior minister said. Several forest fires have raged in recent days in southern France, fanning out at speed due to wind and parched vegetation after a heatwave, including yesterday's just north of France's second largest city, Marseille. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, during a visit to firefighters in the region, said the fire could be contained overnight if winds weaken, as expected. Scientists say human-induced climate change is increasing the intensity, length and frequency of extreme heat that fuels forest fires. The fire started in a vehicle in the area of Pennes-Mirabeau to the north of Marseille, on the road to the airport, roaring across 700 hectares (1,730 acres) by the evening, firefighters said. It sent plumes of acrid smoke billowing into the sky, causing the airport to close its runways shortly after midday (1000 GMT), a spokesman for the Marseille Provence airport said. The spokesman later said that the airport would partially reopen at around 9:30 pm and that 54 flights had been cancelled and another 14 redirected. The website of the SNCF national rail operator showed more than a dozen train trips had been cancelled in and out of the city. It said rail travel to and from Marseille would remain 'highly affected' on Wednesday. Retailleau said 400 people have been evacuated and 63 houses damaged, with some dozen destroyed. He said about 100 people have suffered light injuries, including from emergency services. 'At the moment that I speak to you there are no deaths, which is remarkable given the extent of the fires,' he said. 'But there are all the reasons to think we are headed towards a summer of high risk.' Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan on X warned residents the fire was now 'at the doors of Marseille', urging inhabitants in the north of the city to refrain from taking to the roads to leave way for rescue services. The mayor of Pennes-Mirabeau said two housing estates had been evacuated and firefighters had positioned themselves outside a retirement home to fight off approaching flames. The Marseille Provence airport is the country's fourth after Charles-de-Gaulle and Orly outside Paris, and Nice. 'Never seen anything like it' The fire near Marseille is just the latest to hit France in recent days. To the west along the Mediterranean coast, near the city of Narbonne, more than 1,000 firefighters from around the country were seeking to contain another blaze. It had crept across 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres) of trees since starting on the property of a winery on Monday afternoon, emergency services said. In the village of Prat-de-Cest on Tuesday morning, trees were blackened or still on fire. As she watched fire trucks drive to and fro, retiree Martine Bou recounted fleeing her home with her cats, tortoises and dog on Monday afternoon before returning. But her husband, Frederic, stayed all night to hose down the great pines on the other side of the road so the fire would not engulf their home. 'I've never seen anything like it. I have never lived next to such an enormous fire,' he told AFP, reporting flames dozens of metres (more than a hundred feet) high. The fire near Narbonne caused authorities to close the A9 motorway to Spain, but on Tuesday morning they said they were progressively reopening it to traffic. — AFP
The Star
08-07-2025
- The Star
Wildfire threatens Marseille, shuts airport in southern France
MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) -A fast-moving wildfire reached the outskirts of France's second most populous city of Marseille on Tuesday, prompting the closure of the airport and an order to residents to stay indoors because of the smoke. The blaze, fanned by winds of up to 70 km (43 miles) per hour, could be smelt in the centre of Marseille as thick clouds of smoke hovered over the city on the Mediterranean coast. "It's very striking - apocalyptic even," said Monique Baillard, a resident of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, the town north of Marseille where officials said the fire started on a highway. The fire has burnt through 700 hectares (1,730 acres) and is considered to be under control even though it is still burning, regional prefect Georges-Francois Leclerc said, but a forecast of strong winds meant there was a risk it could advance further. About 10 buildings have been at least partly hit by the fire but no fatalities have been reported and hundreds of homes have been saved by firefighters, he said. Wildfires, which have become more destructive in Mediterranean countries in recent years and attributed to climate change, were also raging in northeastern Spain, where large parts of the country were on high alert for fires. There were also fires last week on the Greek island of Crete and in Athens, as much of Europe sweltered in an early summer heatwave. As the fire was spreading, residents of Marseille received official alerts on their phones telling them to stay at home and put damp cloths on any openings. "As we speak, it's a battle," Payan said, likening tackling the wildfire to "guerrilla warfare". "We're waiting to see what happens overnight, because that's critical too. Everything is strategic: wind speed, humidity, nightfall — very factor matters. Once again, it's extremely complex, and the work is incredibly difficult." RESIDENTS CONFINED Residents were told not to evacuate unless ordered so that roads could be left clear for rescue services. "At this stage, populations must remain confined," the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur prefecture posted on X. "Close shutters, doors, keep your property clear for emergency services, and do not travel on the roads." Anne, a 51-year-old woman who works in Marseille and lives on the outskirts, said by phone: "The sky is grey with ash, and the smell of fire is very strong in the centre of Marseille." Emilie Vierne, a pharmacist, said she was staying inside her pharmacy with clients to stay safe. "No one can leave," she said. In the coastal neighbourhood of l'Estaque, restaurant owner Simon Epenmbia said he was huddling in the restaurant with his family and neighbours. "We are relatively close to the sea, where we feel safer for now and there is less smoke," he said. "I also saw other people who came here towards the beach and are sheltering in their cars." A spokesperson for Marseille airport, France's fourth-busiest, said planes had not been taking off or landing since around midday and some flights had been diverted to Nice, Nimes and other regional airports. It was unclear when the airport would reopen. Train lines heading to and from Marseille were suspended. A wildfire that started near Narbonne, in southwestern France, was also still active on Monday. Some 2,000 hectares have burnt there, the local prefecture said. (Reporting by Marc Leras in Marseille and Dominique Vidalon, Gabriel Stargardter, Sudip Kar-Gupta, John Irish, Richard Lough, Makini Brice, Tassilo Hummel, Geert de Clercq in Paris; Writing by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Richard Lough and Aidan Lewis)
