Apocalyptic wildfire ‘at gates of Marseille’ with smoke blocking out sun – Bundlezy

Apocalyptic wildfire ‘at gates of Marseille’ with smoke blocking out sun

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A fast-moving wildfire is approaching France’s second biggest city Marseille and has closed the city’s airport while residents have been advised to stay indoors.

Photos show the city blanketed by thick clouds of smoke from the wildfire that is being driven by winds of up to 70 kilometres an hour.

Around 168 firefighters are tackling the blaze of around 30 hectares near the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, north of Marseille.

People living in the 16th arrondissement of the city have been told to ‘remain confined’ as the fire nears the city.

Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan 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.’

He added that the French Navy would form part of the response to the spread of the wildfire.

A police officer stands near a fire as he helps local residents to extinguish it during a wildfire spreading in Marseille.
A police officer stands near a fire as he helps local residents to extinguish it during a wildfire spreading in Marseille (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)

A police officer tries to put off the fire in a car during a wildfire, in L'Estaque district of Marseille, southern France on July 8, 2025. The fire that started on July 8, 2025 in Les Pennes-Mirabeau (Bouches-du-Rhone), a town bordering Marseille, has entered France's second-largest city, where some residents were urged to shelter in place, according to a warning message at 4:00 PM from the prefect of Bouches-du-Rhone. (Photo by Clement MAHOUDEAU / AFP) (Photo by CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
A police officer tries to put out the fire in a car during the wildfire (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
People look on at approaching smoke.
People look on near the Plage des Corbieres, in Marseille, as smoke approaches (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)

Monique Baillard, a resident of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, described the scene as ‘very striking’ and ‘apocalyptic even’.

A spokesperson for Marseille Airport confirmed that flights had not been taking off or landing since around midday.

Some flights have been diverted to cities like Nice, Nimes and other regional airports.

It is not yet known when the airport will reopen.

Train lines were also suspended heading north and west from Marseille because of a fire near the tracks, the SNCF train operator said.

Another wildfire that started near Narbonne, in southwestern France, was still active on Monday, fanned by winds of 60 kilometres per hour, causing around 2,000 hectares to burn.

Marins-Pompiers firefighters stand next to a truck and a National Police car in L'Estaque a district of Marseille, southern France on July 8, 2025, as the smoke from a wildfire rises. The fire that started late on July 8, 2025 morning in Les Pennes-Mirabeau (Bouches-du-Rhone), a town bordering Marseille, has entered France's second-largest city, where some residents were urged to shelter in place, according to a warning message at 4:00 PM from the prefect of Bouches-du-Rhone. (Photo by Clement MAHOUDEAU / AFP) (Photo by CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
Marins-Pompiers firefighters stand next to a truck and a National Police car in L’Estaque a district of Marseille (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
Smoke rises from a wildfire in Marseille.
In some areas of the city the smoke has completely blocked out the sky (Picture: Malik H via REUTERS)

Destructive wildfires have already caused havoc in the Mediterranean this summer.

More than 1,500 people were evacuated from their homes and hotels on the Greek island of Crete last week.

Evacuations were ordered at three sites outside the port of Ierapetra on the island’s south coast while 230 firefighters battled the flames.

Elsewhere in Europe, extreme heat has been deadly. A ten-year-old American girl collapsed and died during a visit to the Palace of Versailles in France last week.

Spain has also faced temperatures in the low 40s, and has also experienced wildfires in multiple places across the country.

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