Marseille airport closed as high winds fan wildfire
Blocked Routes
Published: 04:07 PM,Jul 08,2025 | EDITED : 08:07 PM,Jul 08,2025
Smoke rises from a wildfire in Marseille, France. — Reuters
MARSEILLE: A fast-moving wildfire in southern France, fanned by winds of up to 70 kilometres per hour, led to the closure of Marseille Provence airport on Tuesday and was getting very close to France's second-largest city itself, officials said. The local fire service said on X that 168 firefighters had been deployed to fight the blaze of around 30 hectares near the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, north of Marseille. Fire engines and helicopters were also being used.
'The fire is spreading,' the Marseille municipality said on X. 'Avoid all outdoor activities and do not block emergency access routes. Follow instructions and alert messages.' A spokeswoman at the mayor's office for the 15th and 16th boroughs of Marseille, which border the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, said the area on the outer limits of the city was increasingly threatened by the fire, and covered in thick smoke. The spokeswoman said they were awaiting instructions from firefighters on whether to begin evacuations, and said residents were very concerned.
As the fire was spreading, residents of the 16th borough were also instructed by the prefecture to stay home, close doors and shutters and put damp cloths on any openings. A spokesperson for Marseille airport, France's fourth-busiest, 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.
Meanwhile, a wildfire that started near Narbonne, in southwestern France, on Monday was still active, fanned by winds of 60 kilometres per hour. Some 2,000 hectares have burnt, the local prefecture said. Wildfires were also raging in northeastern Spain, where large parts of the country were on high alert for fires. Last week there were fires on the Greek island of Crete and in Athens, as much of Europe sweltered in an early summer heatwave. — Reuters
'The fire is spreading,' the Marseille municipality said on X. 'Avoid all outdoor activities and do not block emergency access routes. Follow instructions and alert messages.' A spokeswoman at the mayor's office for the 15th and 16th boroughs of Marseille, which border the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, said the area on the outer limits of the city was increasingly threatened by the fire, and covered in thick smoke. The spokeswoman said they were awaiting instructions from firefighters on whether to begin evacuations, and said residents were very concerned.
As the fire was spreading, residents of the 16th borough were also instructed by the prefecture to stay home, close doors and shutters and put damp cloths on any openings. A spokesperson for Marseille airport, France's fourth-busiest, 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.
Meanwhile, a wildfire that started near Narbonne, in southwestern France, on Monday was still active, fanned by winds of 60 kilometres per hour. Some 2,000 hectares have burnt, the local prefecture said. Wildfires were also raging in northeastern Spain, where large parts of the country were on high alert for fires. Last week there were fires on the Greek island of Crete and in Athens, as much of Europe sweltered in an early summer heatwave. — Reuters