The coastal city of Marseille in southern France was threatened by a spreading fire from its northern neighboring town on the 8th, with the airport temporarily closed and rail traffic partially disrupted.
On the morning of the same day local time, a car caught fire on a road in Les Pennes-Mirabeau, Marseille’s northern neighboring municipality, igniting nearby vegetation. With strong winds prevailing, the flames rapidly spread, reaching dangerously close to the northern urban area of Marseille.
The road where the car caught fire leads to Marseille Airport. The airport temporarily closed its runways in the afternoon, resuming operations only partially in the evening.
An airport spokesperson said a total of 54 flights were canceled and 14 flights were diverted to other airports.
The French National Railway Company indicated that rail traffic was severely affected, with more than 10 passenger trains canceled. The impact is expected to last until the 9th.
Some road sections in Marseille were also closed due to the fire.
As of the evening of the 8th, more than 700 hectares had been burned. About 800 firefighters were deployed, with at least 450 residents evacuated or relocated. The fire was largely brought under control, but not fully extinguished. The cause of the car fire is still under investigation.
According to preliminary official statistics, the fire did not result in any resident fatalities. Nine firefighters and twenty-two police officers sustained minor injuries during the relief efforts. At least 10 houses were destroyed by fire.
France has recently experienced high temperatures, and many areas in the south have seen forest fires.