Residents told to ‘close shutters and doors' as wildfire rages
A fast-moving wildfire has reached the outskirts of Marseille in southern France, leading to the closure of Marseille Provence airport on Tuesday.
The blaze near Les Pennes-Mirabeau is being tackled by 168 firefighters, supported by fire engines and helicopters.
Two housing estates in Les Pennes-Mirabeau have been evacuated, and residents in affected areas are advised to remain indoors, avoid travel and close shutters and doors.
High winds are fanning the flames, causing significant smoke that is visible in central Marseille, and disrupting air travel with flights diverted.
The disruption coincides with the start of the French summer holiday period, while another active wildfire near Narbonne in southwestern France has already burnt 2,000 hectares.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
22 minutes ago
- Reuters
Wildfire in central Turkey kills 10, injures 14, minister says
ANKARA, July 23 (Reuters) - Ten firefighters were killed and 14 others were injured in Turkey's central Eskisehir province while battling to contain a wildfire, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said on Wednesday. Firefighters and rescue teams have been battling since the early hours of Wednesday to contain a wildfire in Eskisehir's Seyitgazi district. 24 firefighters were trapped in the fire when the wind suddenly changed direction and blew flames towards them, Yumakli told reporters. They were immediately taken to hospital, but 10 of them died, while treatment for 14 others were ongoing, the minister added. Seven wildfires were still burning in five central and western Turkish provinces on Wednesday, Yumakli also said.
Times
an hour ago
- Times
Six of the best sauvignon blanc wines from France
I t's been 40 years since the New Zealand sauvignon blanc Cloudy Bay hit the UK, seducing us with its rapier-like acidity, powerful flavours and spring-garden aromas. It became such a new-wave classic that for many, sauvignon blanc means New Zealand. But it's easy to forget that just over the Channel, on the flinty hillsides of the upper Loire Valley, the grape variety is thriving in its spiritual home, in the villages of Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire. Here the Loire's most famous couple, sancerre and pouilly-fumé, are the white wines of scintillating purity that have been produced using sauvignon blanc grapes since the end of the 19th century. Once staples of Parisian bistros, these wines are now stocked in restaurants worldwide, as generations of thirsty gastronomes fell for their crisp, dry charms. These are whites with a saline, stony acidity and aromas of elderflower, citrus, nettle and occasionally a smoky gunflint character.
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Cyprus struggles to contain wildfire, homes damaged
NICOSIA, July 23 (Reuters) - Firefighters in Cyprus were battling on Wednesday to contain a huge wildfire forcing the evacuation of at least four villages on the first day of a heatwave which sent temperatures soaring. Authorities said the fire was raging in terrain north of the southern city of Limassol, stoked by strong winds and high temperatures. "I can confirm that there is considerable damage to some dwellings," fire brigade spokesperson Andreas Kettis told Cyprus's state broadcaster CyBC. He said 14 aircraft and workers on the ground were trying to extinguish the blaze, which broke out around midday on Wednesday. Temperatures on the east Mediterranean island hit 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 degrees Fahrenheit) inland on Wednesday, forcing authorities to issue an amber weather warning. It was expected to climb further to 44 C on Thursday, making it the hottest day of the year. Although heatwaves and forest fires are common, the impact on human life and the damage have become more pronounced in recent years. Four men from Egypt died in a fire in 2021.
