09-07-2025
Fast-spreading wildfire in France injures over 100, forces airport closure
A fast-moving wildfire near Marseille, France's second-largest city, has injured at least 110 people and forced hundreds to leave their homes. According to the BBC, the fire began on Tuesday near Pennes-Mirabeau, north of the city, and quickly grew due to strong winds, dry vegetation, and steep Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said the fire is not under control and about 800 firefighters are battling the blaze. "Efforts to tackle the blaze will continue all night," he marine firefighter battalion is waging guerrilla warfare, hoses in hand," Marseille's mayor, Benot Payan, described the situation as intense as quoted by the BBC. These marine firefighters are Marseille's special fire and rescue service.
Local media reported that nine firefighters are amongst the injured, and around 400 residents have been evacuated. Local authorities warned people to stay indoors, unless told otherwise, in order to keep emergency services one point, the fire was spreading at an alarming speed of 1.2 kilometres (0.7 miles) per minute, according to Mayor Payan. He said a mix of strong wind gusts, dense forest, and steep terrain made the fire extremely hard to FORCES AIRPORT CLOSUREThe wildfire even forced a temporary shutdown of Marseille Provence Airport. It partially reopened around 9:30 PM (local time) after being closed for several hours. The airport's president, Julien Coffinier, said, "I have never experienced a situation of this magnitude."French President Emmanuel Macron, who is currently visiting the UK, shared his support for the people affected and the firefighters. In a post on X, he wrote, "Our thoughts are with the injured and all residents."Interior Minister Retailleau arrived in Marseille on Tuesday evening and met with local officials to assess the reports say the fire may have started when a car caught fire on a motorway. The flames have since burned about 700 hectares (7 square kilometers) of shared on social media and news outlets showed thick clouds of smoke rising into the sky as the fire burned through hills near area, Bouches-du-Rhne, has not received any rainfall since May 19, making the conditions even worse for firefighting is not alone in facing destructive wildfires. In the south of France near Narbonne, another wildfire that began on Monday is still active. Officials said it had already burned around 2,000 hectares of land. Wind speeds of up to 60 km/h (40 mph) have made it harder to contain.- Ends
