Over a hundred people have been injured after a fast-moving wildfire tore through the south of France “at the gates” of Marseille, forcing the city’s airport to shut.
Hundreds of firefighters battled the blaze which reached the outskirts of France’s second-biggest city on Tuesday, leaving 110 people with minor injuries.
Winds had died down in the south of France early on Wednesday morning, helping firefighters to tackle the fire, but local media reported that the fire had not been contained.
“There are still blazes burning,” confirmed Martine Vassal, president of the Aix-Marseille-Provence metropolitan area, on French broadcaster BFMTV.
“Both the firefighters and the marine firefighters worked all night to stabilise the fire [but] it's not over yet.
“We're a little worried about the weather conditions. It's very dry, and we're afraid the wind will pick up again.”
Concerns remain that if strong winds return, flames could push the fire even closer to Marseille.
The fire, fanned by winds of up to 43 mph, could be smelt in the centre of Marseille as thick clouds of smoke hovered over the city on the Mediterranean coast.
The city’s mayor Benoit Payan warned people in the city’s 16th arrondissement to stay put as lockdown measures were put in place in some areas.
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."
"It’s very striking - apocalyptic even," said Monique Baillard, a resident of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, the town north of Marseille where officials said the fire started on a highway.
The fire has burnt through 700 hectares and was considered to be under control even though it is still burning, regional prefect Georges-Francois Leclerc said.
About 20 buildings have been damaged by the fire and hundreds of homes have been saved by firefighters, he said. Over 700 firefighters were battling the blaze, aided by firefighting helicopters and aircraft.
Wildfires, which have become more destructive in Mediterranean countries in recent years and attributed to climate change, were also raging in northeastern Spain, where large parts of the country were on high alert for fires.
There were also fires last week on the Greek island of Crete and in Athens, as much of Europe sweltered in an early summer heatwave.
As the fire was spreading, residents of Marseille received official alerts on their phones telling them to stay at home and put damp cloths on any openings.
"As we speak, it’s a battle," Payan said, likening tackling the wildfire to "guerrilla warfare".
Two residents of the 16th borough, in the north of Marseille, near where the fire started, described how scared they had been.
"It was dangerous, a lot of very dark smoke, we were really afraid. Police and firefighters did a great job," said one resident, who did not give his name and said things now looked under control in his neighbourhood.
Residents were told not to evacuate unless ordered so that roads could be left clear for rescue services.
"At this stage, populations must remain confined," the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur prefecture posted on X. "Close shutters, doors, keep your property clear for emergency services, and do not travel on the roads."
Anne, a 51-year-old woman who works in Marseille and lives on the outskirts, said: "The sky is grey with ash, and the smell of fire is very strong in the centre of Marseille."
In the coastal neighbourhood of l'Estaque, restaurant owner Simon Epenmbia said he was huddling in the restaurant with his family and neighbours.
"We are relatively close to the sea, where we feel safer for now and there is less smoke," he said. "I also saw other people who came here towards the beach and are sheltering in their cars."
A spokesperson for Marseille airport, France's fourth-busiest, said planes had not been taking off or landing since around midday on Tuesday and some flights had been diverted to Nice, Nimes and other regional airports. The airport is understood to have reopened but some flights remain disrupted.
Many train lines heading to and from Marseille were suspended. Some roads and highways were also shut.
A wildfire that started near Narbonne, in southwestern France, was also still active on Monday. Some 2,000 hectares have burnt there, the local prefecture said.
