A fast-spreading wildfire in southern France forced Marseille Airport to close after the blaze reached the edge of the country’s second-largest city. The airport is open today, but flights are still affected.
Flames licked the outskirts of Marseille on Tuesday, with residents warned to stay inside, close doors and keep roads clear for emergencies.
The fire has been fanned by winds of up to 70km per hour, as firefighters across the Mediterranean battle blazes sparked by an intense heatwave.
More than 110 people were injured, with locals describing the scene as ‘apocalyptic’.
The blaze, which broke out early on Tuesday north of the city, has caused widespread travel disruption and caught regional authorities off guard.
While the fire lost intensity overnight, passengers continue to face delays and cancellations.
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Here’s everything we know from a travel perspective so far.
Is Marseille airport open and what’s happening with flights?
Marseille’s Provence Airport suspended all flights and announced the runway had been closed around midday on Tuesday.
British Airways, Ryanair, Air France and easyJet, which has a strong presence at the airport, were hit with widespread cancellations and delays.
As of 5pm Tuesday, the arrival index on FlightRadar24 was at 5 — the highest possible score for cancellation and disruption.
By Wednesday, July 9, operations had resumed partially, but several flights are still facing cancellations and delays.
Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines and Air France have seen cancellations this morning.
Marseille is France’s second-largest regional airport, with almost 11 million passengers transiting there last year.
The most popular routes from Marseille are to Charles de Gaulle in Paris, Algiers in Algeria, and Tunis in Tunisia.
An official message on the airport’s website said: ‘Due to a fire at Pennes Mirabeau, landings and takeoffs are suspended until further notice. We advise you to contact your airline for more information.’
Ryanair has advised that all affected passengers will be notified, and urges anyone travelling to or from Marseille to check the Ryanair app for updates.
The airline said: ‘We regret any inconvenience caused to passengers by this incident, which is beyond Ryanair’s control and affects all airlines operating to/from Marseille on Tuesday 8 July.’
It comes during peak travel season as the French summer holidays begin.
Where are the fires in Marseille?
A record-breaking heatwave that has swept southern Europe in recent weeks has raised the risk of wildfires in southern France, with several breaking out in the past few days.
However in this instance, Martine Vassal, president of the Aix-Marseille-Provence area, has said the blaze was caused by a car that caught fire by the side of a motorway.
In Marseille, city officials said some 720 firefighters were battling blazes with 220 emergency vehicles, backed by helicopters and water-bombing planes.
The local fire service said on X that 168 firefighters had also been deployed to fight a blaze of about 74 acres near the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, north of the city.
Michel Amiel, the town’s mayor, said two housing estates had been evacuated.
The fire could be seen in the sky over Marseille, with thick, black clouds overhead and an ‘acrid’ smell in the air, according to residents.
About 250km west of Marseille, a wildfire that broke out near the city of Narbonne was still active on Tuesday, after burning through 2,000 hectares of forest and forcing the partial closure of the A9 motorway.
On Wednesday, July 9, Marseille’s mayor Benoit Payan confirmed it was safe for people to go outside again.
‘With the fire in northern Marseilles now clearly under control, we can announce this morning that the 16th arrondissement is no longer under lockdown,’ he said in a post on X.
