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The Independent
09-07-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Europe wildfires map: Where summer fires have struck from France and Spain to Greece
Thousands have been forced to evacuate and dozens have been injured in wildfires across Europe that have been fanned by extreme heatwaves across the continent. Spanish authorities ordered more than 18,000 residents in the northeastern Tarragona province to remain indoors on Tuesday, with several dozen evacuated, as a raging wildfire consumed nearly 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) of vegetation. The blaze broke out early on Monday in a remote area near the village of Pauls, and firefighting efforts have been severely hampered by strong winds and rugged terrain. Two people died in a separate wildfire on 1 July in the Catalonia region, where Tarragona is located. In the south of France, a wildfire that reached the outskirts of Marseille injured 110 people and locals have been warned that while the fire has been contained for now, it remains a concern. "It is not finished. Weather conditions are worrying for us," head of the area council Martine Vassal told broadcaster BFM. The fire had burned through 700 hectares by late Tuesday and had destroyed at least 10 homes. Firefighters worked through the night to contain the blaze, which authorities believe was caused by a car that caught fire on the side of a highway. A separate blaze broke out near the city of Narbonne, marking France's first major fire of the summer according to government spokesperson Sophie Primas. Ms Primas added in an interview with RTL that the wildfire season had started earlier this year. In Greece, at least 5,000 tourists were forced to evacuate parts of Crete last week as a massive wildfire scorched forests and olive groves on the Greek island. Around 230 firefighters, along with 46 engines and helicopters, rushed to tackle the blaze on Thursday, which broke out the day before in the forested hills near Lerapetra on the island's southern coast. Winds of up to 50mph spread the blaze south, as reinforcements flew in from Athens to help put out the fire. The inferno destroyed homes in places including Agia Fotia, while at least four people were rushed to hospital after inhaling smoke, according to the BBC. The previous week, a large fire south of Athens prompted authorities to evacuate five communities as temperatures neared 40 degrees Celsius and the blaze, fanned by strong winds, threatened homes. The ongoing heatwave forced Greek officials to in Athens to protect visitors and workers.
Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- Climate
- Scottish Sun
Marseille on wildfire ‘lockdown' alert & more than 100 hurt amid looting as blazes race into city & close airport again
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FIREFIGHTERS continue to battle with the wildfire in Marseille with over 100 people injured as the blaze raced into the city. Despite the wildfire losing intensity overnight, looting has plagued affected neighbourhoods, with evacuated properties in the north getting ransacked. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 A massive wildfire broke out in Les Pennes-Mirabeau, on the outskirts of Marseille Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 7 In the northern districts of Marseille, residents and emergency workers attempt to contain the last remaining flames Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 7 A helicopter flies over smoke rising from a fast-moving wildfire Credit: Reuters 7 More than 100 people have been injured as the wildfire burnt through a whopping 1,700 acres of land, reaching the edge of Marseille. One building was decimated while ten others were damaged as residents were evacuated and some were urged to stay indoors and off the roads. But residents who had been told on Tuesday to stay in their homes for their own safety were finally allowed out, Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan confirmed on X, but are told to "exercise the utmost caution". The blaze was fanned by winds of up to a whopping 43mph and could be smelt in the centre of Marseille, with plumes of thick smoke hanging over the tourist hotspot city. read more news DEADLY INFERNO Wildfires spread in Turkey leaving 2 dead & forcing thousands to flee And fears loom that Marseille International Airport could shut down again to prioritise air resources if the fire flares up. Yesterday, at least 10 flights were cancelled with the airport forced to close its runways in the afternoon. Its website yesterday showed departures called off, including to Brussels, Munich and Naples. Martine Vassal, head of the area council, said firefighters had worked through the night to control the fire, which she said remained a cause for concern. "It is not finished. Weather conditions are worrying for us," Vassal told broadcaster BFM. It was too soon for the hundreds of residents who had fled from the wildfire to return, officials said. 'Apocalyptic' blazes force Marseilles airport to SHUT as residents evacuated & choking smoke billows over French region Nine firefighters were among the 110 injured by the horrific blaze. Meanwhile looting has been reported in evacuated properties in the Estaque neighbourhood, situated in the north of Marseille, French site Frontiere reported. Four water bomber helicopters, one Dash aircraft and four Canadair - specialist firefighting aircraft - were deployed to tackle the blaze. Water-dropping planes worked to extinguish the fire on the outskirts of the city, which has some 900,000 inhabitants. The wildfire also interrupted train traffic as the blaze spread rapidly to the edges of the southern French city. High-speed train traffic resumed today while local train traffic remains severely disrupted, railway operator SNCF announced. Officials said the blaze was caused by a car that caught on fire. The fire had burnt through 2.7 square miles but no fatalities had been reported, regional prefect Georges-Francois Leclerc said late on Tuesday. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau told reporters that the fire had been fast-moving, affecting 60 houses and burning down 10 yesterday evening. The fire in Marseille and a separate one near Narbonne, another southern French city, were the first major fires of the summer, Sophie Primas, the government's spokesperson, said in an interview with RTL on Wednesday, adding that wildfire season had come early this year. This week and last week, fires have also raged in northeastern Spain, on the Greek island of Crete, and in Athens. 7 A massive wildfire broke out in Les Pennes-Mirabeau, on the outskirts of Marseille Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 7 The fire, which crossed the nearby highway, destroyed several homes and vehicles Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- Climate
- The Irish Sun
Marseille on wildfire ‘lockdown' alert & more than 100 hurt amid looting as blazes race into city & close airport again
FIREFIGHTERS continue to battle with the wildfire in Marseille with over 100 people injured as the blaze raced into the city. Despite the 7 A massive wildfire broke out in Les Pennes-Mirabeau, on the outskirts of Marseille Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 7 In the northern districts of Marseille, residents and emergency workers attempt to contain the last remaining flames Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 7 A helicopter flies over smoke rising from a fast-moving wildfire Credit: Reuters 7 More than 100 people have been injured as the wildfire burnt through a whopping 1,700 acres of land, reaching the edge of Marseille. One building was decimated while ten others were damaged as residents were evacuated and some were urged to stay indoors and off the roads. But residents who had been told on Tuesday to stay in their homes for their own safety were finally allowed out, Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan confirmed on X, but are told to "exercise the utmost caution". The blaze was fanned by winds of up to a whopping 43mph and could be smelt in the centre of Marseille, with plumes of thick smoke hanging over the tourist hotspot city. read more news And fears loom that Marseille International Airport could shut down again to prioritise air resources if the fire flares up. Yesterday, at least 10 flights were cancelled with the airport forced to close its runways in the afternoon. Its website yesterday showed departures called off, including to Brussels, Munich and Naples. Martine Vassal, head of the area council, said firefighters had worked through the night to control the fire, which she said remained a cause for concern. Most read in The US Sun "It is not finished. Weather conditions are worrying for us," Vassal told broadcaster BFM. It was too soon for the hundreds of residents who had fled from the wildfire to return, officials said. 'Apocalyptic' blazes force Marseilles airport to SHUT as residents evacuated & choking smoke billows over French region Nine firefighters were among the 110 injured by the horrific blaze. Meanwhile looting has been reported in evacuated properties in the Estaque neighbourhood, situated in the north of Marseille, French site Frontiere reported. Four water bomber helicopters, one Dash aircraft and four Canadair - specialist firefighting aircraft - were deployed to tackle the blaze. Water-dropping planes worked to extinguish the fire on the outskirts of the city, which has some 900,000 inhabitants. The wildfire also interrupted train traffic as the blaze spread rapidly to the edges of the southern French city. High-speed train traffic resumed today while local train traffic remains severely disrupted, railway operator SNCF announced. Officials said the blaze was caused by a car that caught on fire. The fire had burnt through 2.7 square miles but no fatalities had been reported, regional prefect Georges-Francois Leclerc said late on Tuesday. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau told reporters that the fire had been fast-moving, affecting 60 houses and burning down 10 yesterday evening. The fire in Marseille and a separate one near Narbonne, another southern French city, were the first major fires of the summer, Sophie Primas, the government's spokesperson, said in an interview with RTL on Wednesday, adding that wildfire season had come early this year. This week and last week, fires have also raged in northeastern Spain , on the Greek island of Crete, and in Athens. 7 A massive wildfire broke out in Les Pennes-Mirabeau, on the outskirts of Marseille Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 7 The fire, which crossed the nearby highway, destroyed several homes and vehicles Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 7 A destroyed car from the flames Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
The Sun
09-07-2025
- Climate
- The Sun
Marseille on wildfire ‘lockdown' alert & more than 100 hurt amid looting as blazes race into city & close airport again
FIREFIGHTERS continue to battle with the wildfire in Marseille with over 100 people injured as the blaze raced into the city and closed the airport again. Despite the wildfire losing intensity overnight, looting has plagued affected neighbourhoods, with evacuated properties in the north getting ransacked, local media reports. 6 6 6 More than 100 people have been injured as the wildfire burnt through a whopping 1,700 acres of land, reaching the edge of Marseille. One building was decimated while ten others were damaged as residents were evacuated and some were urged to stay indoors and off the roads. But residents who had been told on Tuesday to stay in their homes for their own safety were finally allowed out, Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan confirmed on X, but are told to "exercise the utmost caution". The blaze was fanned by winds of up to a whopping 43mph and could be smelt in the centre of Marseille, with plumes of thick smoke hanging over the tourist hotspot city. And fears loom that Marseille International Airport could shut down again to prioritise air resources if the fire flares up. Yesterday, at least 10 flights were cancelled with the airport forced to close its runways in the afternoon. Its website yesterday showed departures called off, including to Brussels, Munich and Naples. Martine Vassal, head of the area council, said firefighters had worked through the night to control the fire, which she said remained a cause for concern. "It is not finished. Weather conditions are worrying for us," Vassal told broadcaster BFM. It was too soon for the hundreds of residents who had fled from the wildfire to return, officials said. 'Apocalyptic' blazes force Marseilles airport to SHUT as residents evacuated & choking smoke billows over French region Nine firefighters were among the 110 injured by the horrific blaze. Hundreds of firefighters, aided by choppers and aircraft, have been fighting the flames, which have been fanned by winds of up to 43 mph that brought plumes of smoke over the southern coastal city. Water-dropping planes worked to extinguish the fire on the outskirts of the city, which has some 900,000 inhabitants. Officials said the blaze was caused by a car that caught on fire. The fire had burnt through 2.7 square miles but no fatalities had been reported, regional prefect Georges-Francois Leclerc said late on Tuesday. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau told reporters late on Tuesday that the fire had been fast-moving, affecting 60 houses and burning down 10. The fire in Marseille and a separate one near Narbonne, another southern French city, were the first major fires of the summer, Sophie Primas, the government's spokesperson, said in an interview with RTL on Wednesday, adding that wildfire season had come early this year. This week and last week, fires have also raged in northeastern Spain, on the Greek island of Crete, and in Athens. 6 6 6
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Huge Marseille wildfire is pushed back but authorities warn ‘it is not finished'
A wildfire that reached the outskirts of Marseille, France's second-largest city, injuring 110 people, was pushed back overnight but remains unextinguished, authorities confirmed on Wednesday. Mayor Benoit Payan has since lifted a confinement order affecting tens of thousands of residents. Speaking on broadcaster France-Info, Mayor Payan stated the blaze was in "net regression" on Wednesday morning. The fire had raced towards the historic Mediterranean port city on Tuesday, prompting hundreds of evacuations and forcing an entire city district to shelter indoors under official directives. Spurred by hot summer winds, the fire grounded all flights to and from Marseille and halted train traffic in most of the surrounding area on Tuesday. Train, road and plane traffic remained complicated on Wednesday. The mayor said 110 people were treated for smoke inhalation and related injuries. Residents who had been told on Tuesday to stay in their homes for their own safety were once again allowed out. "With the fire in northern Marseille now clearly under control, we can announce this morning that the 16th arrondissement is no longer on lockdown," Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan said in a post on social media platform X. "I call on all Marseille residents to exercise the utmost caution in the area, as emergency services are hard at work," he said. Martine Vassal, head of the area council, said firefighters had worked through the night to control the fire, which she said remained a cause for concern. "It is not finished. Weather conditions are worrying for us," Vassal told broadcaster BFM. Local officials said the airport for France's second-largest city could close for commercial flights to prioritise air resources if the fire flared up again. It was too soon for the hundreds of residents who had fled from the wildfire to return, officials said. The fire had burnt through 700 hectares (2.7 square miles) but no fatalities had been reported, regional prefect Georges-Francois Leclerc said late on Tuesday. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau told reporters late on Tuesday that the fire had been fast-moving, affecting 60 houses and burning down 10. The fire in Marseille and a separate one near Narbonne, another southern French city, were the first major fires of the summer, Sophie Primas, the government's spokesperson, said in an interview with RTL on Wednesday, adding that wildfire season had come early this year. Climate change has made wildfires more destructive in Mediterranean countries in recent years. This week and last week, fires have also raged in northeastern Spain, on the Greek island of Crete, and in Athens. Philippe, a victim of the fires whose surname was not given, told BFM that he had slept poorly after evacuating and hoped to return to his home at noon on Wednesday. "There is nothing we can do," he said. "It is very very, very hard."
