Residents urged to stay indoors and flights grounded as major wildfire rages at the 'gates of Marseille'
Residents in Marseille have been urged to remain indoors and flights have been grounded as a wildfire rages on the outskirts of the city.
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Strong winds are fanning the flames of the wildfire that is currently raging on the outskirts of the French city near the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau.
More than 720 firefighters, 230 vehicles, five planes and four helicopters have been deployed to tackle the fire, which has stretched around 30 hectares as it edges closer to France's second largest city.
Nine firefighters have been reported injured, with no civilian casualties so far.
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Benoît Payan, Mayor of Marseille, said: "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."
Marseille Provence Airport has issued a statement saying that all take-offs and landings have been suspended until further notice due to the fires.
The official X account for the Bouches-du-Rhône and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region told residents to "close shutters, doors, keep your property clear for emergency services, and do not travel on the roads."
Bus services and highways have been closed as the fire advances towards Marseille with the city's X account saying: "Residents of the 16th arrondissement are requested to stay indoors, pending localized instructions."
Sections of two major motorways were also closed and workers were told stop all travel until 7.30pm.
French railway operator SNCF suspended train services between Marseille and Miramas following a fire near the tracks at L'Estaque.