Wildfire reaches outskirts of France's Marseille, forcing airport closure

A rapidly spreading wildfire has reached the outskirts of Marseille, southern France’s second-largest city, prompting the closure of Marseille Provence Airport and the evacuation of several residential areas.

The blaze, which broke out near the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, just north of Marseille, has consumed approximately 74 acres of land, according to the local fire service. Authorities have deployed 168 firefighters along with fire engines and helicopters to combat the flames, Caliber.Az reports, citing Independent.

“It’s very striking – apocalyptic even,” said Monique Baillard, a resident of Les Pennes-Mirabeau. “We’re staying unless the firefighters tell us to evacuate.” She added that many of her neighbours had already left the area, despite no official evacuation order at the time.

Another local, Jacqueline Revilla, described the atmosphere: “The smoke is very striking, very acrid.” She said residents had received mobile phone alerts instructing them to remain indoors. “We’re waiting for further updates for now.”

Michel Amiel, the mayor of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, told BFM TV that two housing estates had been evacuated. The Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur prefecture urged residents via social media to stay indoors, close shutters and doors, avoid travel, and keep access routes clear for emergency services.

“The fire is spreading,” the Marseille municipality warned on X (formerly Twitter). “Avoid all outdoor activities and do not block emergency access routes. Follow instructions and alert messages.”

Smoke from the fire has reached central Marseille, with residents reporting a strong smell of burning in the air. High winds in the area have accelerated the fire’s spread, with gusts visibly affecting trees and reporters during live broadcasts.

A spokesperson for Marseille airport confirmed that all flights had been halted around midday and several were diverted to airports in Nice, Nimes, and other nearby cities. The shutdown has caused significant disruption at the start of France’s busy summer holiday season. It remains unclear when operations will resume.

A spokesperson for the mayor’s office of Marseille’s 15th and 16th boroughs—areas bordering Les Pennes-Mirabeau—said thick smoke was engulfing the outskirts of the city. “We are awaiting instructions from firefighters on whether to begin evacuations,” she said. “Residents are very concerned.”

Meanwhile, a separate wildfire near Narbonne in southwestern France remains active. Fanned by winds of up to 60 kilometres per hour, it has burned approximately 2,000 hectares, the local prefecture reported.

By Sabina Mammadli