Marseille Airport Shut Down as Firefighters Contain Wildfire Near City’s Outskirts

By Staff, Agencies

A major wildfire that threatened the northwestern edge of Marseille lost strength overnight, but firefighting operations continued into Wednesday, prompting authorities to close the city’s airport and maintain emergency restrictions in some areas.

Firefighters, supported by aircraft and helicopters, battled the blaze as high winds reaching 70 kph [43 mph] helped spread smoke across France’s second-largest city.

So far, the fire has scorched around 700 hectares [2.7 square miles], but no fatalities have been reported and hundreds of homes have been spared, according to regional prefect Georges-Francois Leclerc.

While residents of the affected 16th arrondissement had been ordered to stay indoors earlier, Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan announced Wednesday morning that the lockdown was lifted.

“With the fire in northern Marseille now clearly under control, we can announce this morning that the 16^th arrondissement is no longer under lockdown,” he said on X, urging residents to remain cautious as emergency crews remain active in the area.

Authorities decided to close Marseille Provence Airport to commercial flights in order to prioritize aerial firefighting operations. Some roads may reopen to allow emergency services access, but officials said it remains too soon for evacuated residents to return home.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau described the wildfire as fast-moving and intense. The incident adds to a growing number of destructive blazes across Mediterranean countries this summer, which experts link to climate change. Over the past two weeks, wildfires have also broken out in northeastern Spain, on the Greek island of Crete, and in the capital Athens.