5 hours ago
Firefighters are battling the blaze, which injured over 100 people and forced 400 to evacuate. The fire, spread by wind and dry weather, also disrupted airport services.
Local reports say the fire may have started when a car caught fire on a motorway.(Photo: X/@BullyPress)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Jul 9, 2025 05:24 IST
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 hillsides.
France’s 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 said.
"The 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 open.
At 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 control.
FIRE FORCES AIRPORT CLOSURE
The 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 situation.
Local 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 land.
Footage shared on social media and news outlets showed thick clouds of smoke rising into the sky as the fire burned through hills near Marseille.
The area, Bouches-du-Rhne, has not received any rainfall since May 19, making the conditions even worse for firefighting teams.
France 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.
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Published By:
Satyam Singh
Published On:
Jul 9, 2025
