A massive wildfire near Marseille, now referred to as the Marseille fire, has left over 110 people injured, including nine firefighters, and caused widespread evacuations. The fire ignited Tuesday near Pennes-Mirabeau, just north of Marseille, and rapidly spread across 700 hectares.
The fast-moving Marseille fire injured more than 100 people, burned 700 hectares, and forced hundreds to evacuate as flames edge toward the city.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau confirmed the Marseille fire remains uncontained, despite the efforts of more than 800 firefighters battling the blaze overnight. The city’s mayor, Benoit Payan, described the firefight as “guerrilla warfare,” as emergency crews faced harsh conditions, including wind gusts, dense vegetation, and steep terrain.
At the height of the inferno, flames were advancing at 1.2 km per minute, forcing the evacuation over 400 residents. Citizens were warned to stay indoors unless instructed otherwise to keep the roads clear for emergency services.
French President Emmanuel Macron, on a state visit to the UK, expressed support for the emergency responders and urged the public to follow safety protocols. “Our thought are with the injured and all residents,” he posted on X.
Elsewhere in Europe, wildfires also flared in Narbonne, Spain’s Catalonia region, and Greece, driven by an early summer heatwave. Catalonia alone reported 3,000 hectares burned, with more than 18,000 people ordered to stay home.
