Marseille, France, July 9: A fast-moving wildfire on the outskirts of Marseille has destroyed homes, injured dozens, and brought major services in France’s second-largest city to a halt, authorities said on Tuesday, as strong winds and extreme heat continue to fuel the blaze.
At least 20 homes have been destroyed and 63 others damaged, while around 100 people, including emergency workers, suffered light injuries, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said during a visit to the affected region. Roughly 400 people have been evacuated so far, he added.
The fire has prompted the suspension of all flights at Marseille-Provence Airport and forced the closure of train services, motorways, and major road tunnels across the city. Incoming flights were diverted to nearby cities, including Nice and Nimes. Marseille Airport, which handled nearly 11 million passengers last year, is the country’s second-largest regional hub.
Retailleau said firefighters were hoping to contain the blaze overnight if wind conditions eased as forecast. “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.”
According to local media, the fire was likely sparked by a vehicle that caught fire on the A552 motorway. Fanned by winds reaching up to 100 km/h, the blaze has spread rapidly, burning through approximately 350 hectares of land. Acrid smoke and embers blanketed downtown Marseille, prompting warnings to residents, particularly in the 15th and 16th arrondissements, to remain indoors.
Emergency services have deployed 720 firefighters, 220 vehicles, helicopters, and water-bombing planes to battle the flames. Four public sports halls were opened to accommodate evacuees, while a major hospital in the north of the city switched to emergency power as a precaution.
Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan described the firefighting efforts as “guerrilla warfare” and praised responders for saving “several hundred houses.” “As we speak, it’s a battle,” he said. “Wind speed, humidity, nightfall – everything is strategic.”
The regional prefecture issued mobile phone alerts urging people to stay indoors, shut windows and doors, and hang wet laundry to reduce smoke infiltration. Three southern French departments – Bouches-du-Rhône, Var, and Vaucluse – remain on red fire alert, with forests closed and outdoor fire activities banned.
The Mediterranean region, one of the most climate-vulnerable in Europe, continues to suffer from prolonged heatwaves and wildfires, exacerbated by climate change.
Elsewhere in the region, a wildfire in Tarragona, Spain, has burned over 3,100 hectares, confining 18,000 residents indoors. Meanwhile, Syria has appealed to the European Union for help battling blazes now in their sixth day, with Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey sending assistance.
