A fast-moving wildfire reached the outskirts of Marseille, France\u2019s second-largest city, on Tuesday, leading its airport to be shut down, with residents told to stay indoors and shut all openings to be safe from the smoke. <\/p>\n
The blaze, fanned by winds of up to 70 kilometers per hour, could be smelled in the center of Marseille, residents said, as thick clouds of smoke hovered over the city. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very striking – apocalyptic even,\u201d said Monique Baillard, a resident of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, a town north of Marseille where the fire, which has now burned across around 350 hectares, started. <\/p>\n
Wildfires, which have become more destructive in Mediterranean countries in recent years due to climate change, were also raging in northeastern Spain, where large parts of the country were on high alert for fires. <\/p>\n
Last week there were fires on the Greek island of Crete and in Athens, as much of Europe sweltered in an early summer heatwave. <\/p>\n
As the fire was spreading, residents of Marseille\u2019s 16th borough, which borders Les Pennes-Mirabeau, were also instructed by the prefecture to stay home, close doors and shutters and put damp cloths on any openings. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe fire that started in Pennes-Mirabeau is now at the gates of Marseille,\u201d mayor Benoit Payan said on X. <\/p>\n
One bank worker reached by phone said: \u201cThe sky is grey with ash, and the smell of fire is very strong in the center of Marseille.\u201d <\/p>\n
Residents were told not to evacuate unless ordered to, to leave roads free for rescue services. <\/p>\n
\u201cAt this stage, populations must remain confined,\u201d the Provence-Alpes-C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur prefecture posted on X. \u201cClose shutters, doors, keep your property clear for emergency services, and do not travel on the roads.\u201d <\/p>\n
The local fire service said on X that 168 firefighters had been deployed to fight the blaze. Fire engines and helicopters were also being used. <\/p>\n
A spokesperson for Marseille airport, France\u2019s fourth-busiest, said planes had not been taking off or landing since around midday and some flights had been diverted to Nice, Nimes and other regional airports. It was unclear when the airport would reopen. <\/p>\n
Train lines heading north and west from Marseille were suspended due to a fire near the tracks, the SNCF train operator said. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a wildfire that started near Narbonne, in southwestern France, was still active on Monday, fanned by winds of 60 kilometers per hour. <\/p>\n
Some 2,000 hectares have burnt, the local prefecture said. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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