The international airport in the city of Marseille, in southern France, has been shut down after a wildfire that broke out Monday reached the outskirts of the port city.
Since midday, all flight departures and arrivals have been suspended.
Some flights have been diverted to Nice, Nimes, and other regional airports, according to a spokesperson.
Images posted by the French News Agency are indicative of the destructive forces of the blaze, as plumes of black smoke can be seen covering large parts of the sky over the city.
According to reports, the wildfire started accidentally when a vehicle caught fire before it rapidly spread to a forest area due to strong winds.
A fast-moving wildfire fanned by gale-force winds has forced Marseille airport to cancel all flights and was encroaching on France’s second-largest city, officials said, as firefighters around the Mediterranean battled blazes sparked by an intense heatwave.
The prefecture of the Provence-Alpes-Côtes d’Azur region issued an alert on Tuesday urging inhabitants of Marseille’s 16th arrondissement to stay indoors, close doors and shutters and hang wet laundry around openings to avoid the risk of smoke inhalation.
Smoke rises over Marseille as a fast-moving wildfire spreads on the outskirts the city, southern France, July 8, 2025. REUTERS/Alexandre Dimou
According to the Guardian, roads should be kept clear for emergency services, the prefecture said. Marseille city hall said the fire was spreading, adding: “Avoid all outdoor activities and do not block emergency access routes. Follow instructions and alert messages.”
The media outlet said the Marseille airport had suspended all flights shortly after the blaze erupted outside the nearby town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau.
Municipal authorities said city hall said 720 firefighters were battling the blaze with 220 emergency vehicles, helped by helicopters and water-bombing planes.
