Latest news with #PennesMirabeau
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
110 People Injured While Thousands More Ordered to Shelter in Place amid ‘Apocalyptic' Wildfire
Officials said 110 people have been injured, including firefighters, after a wildfire broke out in the south of France on Tuesday, July 8 The fire began near Pennes-Mirabeau, where one resident described the blaze as "apocalyptic" More than 1,000 firefighters have been deployed to the area, where more than 400 people were evacuated and thousands of others were told to shelter in placeOver 100 people have been injured while thousands more have been told to shelter in place after a wildfire tore through a portion of southern France. Officials said 110 people, including firefighters and police officers, have been slightly injured due to the blaze as of Tuesday, July 8, according to The Associated Press, BBC and The New York Times. The fire began near Pennes-Mirabeau, north of Marseille, and spanned around 700 hectares (1,729 acres) of land, per AP and BBC. The blaze was reportedly sparked after a heat wave impacted various portions of Europe, leading to an elevated risk for wildfires. "It's very striking — apocalyptic even," said Monique Baillard, a resident of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, per Reuters. More than 1,000 firefighters were deployed to the coastal area, where hundreds of homes were evacuated as the fire moved through the region, according to AP and Sky News. France's interior minister, Bruno Retailleau, said at least 30 firefighters as well as police officers were among the injured, as winds helped fuel the fire, the Times reported. He also said it was 'exceptional' that the fire did not cause any deaths. Over 400 people were "ordered to evacuate" their homes due to the blaze, while another "14,000 were told to stay home," Retailleau said, per the outlet. According to AP, the prefecture said in a statement on Tuesday that 'the situation is under control,' describing the blaze as 'particularly virulent.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The wildfire destroyed 10 houses by Wednesday morning, local state representative Georges-François Leclerc said, per the Times. Flights were temporarily stopped at Marseille Provence airport, one of the busiest in the region, due to the wildfire, the BBC reported. The airport has since announced that flights will resume "without restrictions" on Wednesday, though disruptions are expected. Additionally, Hospital Nord switched to generators 'due to micro power cuts,' according to AP and EuroNews. 'The aim is to secure the imaging sector,' said the University Hospitals of Marseille. 'We are not worried as we have a high level of autonomy.' Read the original article on People
South China Morning Post
09-07-2025
- Climate
- South China Morning Post
Wildfire in France shuts down Marseille airport, halts trains
A wildfire in southern France on Tuesday that forced Marseille airport to close and interrupted train traffic has not been fully contained, the country's interior minister said. Advertisement 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 Tuesday's just north of France's second-largest city, Marseille. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, during a Tuesday evening 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. Smoke rising over Marseille. Photo: Reuters 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.
The Sun
08-07-2025
- Climate
- The Sun
‘Apocalyptic' blazes force Marseilles airport to SHUT as residents evacuated & choking smoke billows over French region
"APOCALYPTIC" blazes have forced Marseilles International Airport to shut down as France braces to tackle raging wildfires. Plumes of acrid smoke billowed into the sky - causing the airport to close its runways shortly after midday and cancel dozens of flights. 9 9 9 9 The fire is said to have started in a vehicle in the area of Pennes-Mirabeau to the north of Marseilles. By the afternoon, it roared across 350 hectares (860 acres), according to French firefighters. The blaze, fanned by winds of up to 70 kilometres per hour, could be smelled in the centre of Marseilles, as thick clouds of smoke hovered over the city. Water-dropping planes tried to extinguish the fire on the outskirts of the city, which has some 900,000 inhabitants. "Its very striking - apocalyptic even," said Monique Baillard, a resident of Les Pennes-Mirabeau. A spokesperson for Marseilles airport, France's fourth-busiest, said planes had not been taking off or landing since around midday. They added that some flights had been diverted to Nice, Nimes and other regional airports. It was unclear when the airport would reopen. In response, emergency services have mobilised more than 720 firefighters and 230 water machines. Alongside that, four water bomber helicopters, one dash aircraft and four canadairs (specialist firefighting aircraft) have been deployed, according to Sky News. The wildfire also interrupted train traffic as the blaze spread rapidly to the edges of the southern French city. Devastating wildfires spread in Turkey leaving two dead and forcing thousands to evacuate as city's mayor pleads for help French railway operator SNCF said the circulation of trains between Marseilles and the Miramas-Aix high-speed TGV train station was stopped due to a fire nearing the tracks in L'Estaque, a picturesque neighbourhood in the city. The city's mayor warned that the fire continues to spread north of Marseilles. Benoit Payan said: "The fire that started this morning in Pennes-Mirabeau continues to spread north of Marseilles. "I went to the command post of the Marseilles Firefighters Battalion to monitor the operations." He repeated previous pleas to people to stay inside and adhere to official instructions. Earlier, Payan on X warned residents that the fire was now "at the doors of Marseilles", urging inhabitants in the north of the city to refrain from taking to the roads to make way for rescue services. 9 9 9 Meanwhile, the mayor of Pennes-Mirabeau said two housing estates had been evacuated and firefighters had positioned themselves outside an old people's home to fight off approaching flames. The fire near Marseilles is just the latest to have hit France in recent days. Several weeks of heat waves combined with strong winds have increased the risk of wildfires in southern France, with several breaking out over the past couple of days. To the west, 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, they said. In the village of Prat-de-Cest on Tuesday morning, trees were blackened or still on fire. 9 9
Sky News
08-07-2025
- Climate
- Sky News
Wildfire 'at the gates' of Marseille as mayor warns people to stay inside
A wildfire is "at the gates" of Marseille after it caused flights to be suspended at an airport around 15 miles away, the city's mayor has warned. A local fire service earlier said 168 firefighters had been deployed to fight the blaze of around 30 hectares near the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, north of Marseille. The fire caused flights to be suspended at Marseille Provence Airport. It came before Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan warned people in the 16th arrondissement of the city to "remain confined" as the blaze approaches France's second most populated city. He wrote on X: "The violent fire declared in Pennes-Mirabeau is now at the gates of Marseille. "I ask all Marseillais to be extremely vigilant and to limit their movements as much as possible to make way for emergency services, particularly in the north of the city. "Residents of the 16th arrondissement are requested to remain confined." He added that the French Navy would form part of the response to the blaze. Fire engines and helicopters have so far been used in the response to the fire. Residents have been urged to keep streets clear to avoid hindering emergency services. There have been no reports of casualties. Some residents were urged to close shutters, doors and stay inside. The spokesperson for Marseille airport 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. Please refresh the page for the latest version.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
'Clear the streets' warning in French city with airport suspending flights
A wildfire is "at the gates" of Marseille after it caused flights to be suspended at an airport around 15 miles away, the city's mayor has warned. A local fire service earlier said 168 firefighters had been deployed to fight the blaze of around 30 hectares near the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, north of the city. Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan has now warned people in the 16th arrondissement of the city to "remain confined" as the blaze approaches. He wrote on X: "The violent fire declared in Pennes-Mirabeau is now at the gates of Marseille. "I ask all Marseillais to be extremely vigilant and to limit their movements as much as possible to make way for emergency services, particularly in the north of the city." He added that the French Navy would form part of the response to the blaze. Fire engines and helicopters have so far been used in the response to the fire. Residents have been urged to keep streets clear to avoid hindering emergency services. There have been no reports of casualties. Some residents were urged to close shutters, doors and stay inside. The spokesperson for Marseille airport 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. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the latest version. You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
