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More than 100 people were injured in a rapidly spreading wildfire threatening the southern French city of Marseille, according to local authorities.
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau stated that around 800 firefighters were on-site and would work through the night to contain the blaze. He indicated that if the wind diminishes as forecasted overnight, it will “enable us to assess the situation in the coming hours.”
No fatalities have been reported as of late Tuesday evening, according to the French minister.
Marseille’s mayor Benoît Payan said emergency services were “engaging in guerrilla warfare, armed with hoses.” He added that the fire spread at a rate of 1.2 km per minute at its peak.
French media report that at least 400 people have been evacuated from their homes. This includes 71 residents of a nursing home in Pennes-Mirabeau.
Nine firefighters have been injured. Residents have been advised to stay indoors and not evacuate unless instructed, to keep the roads clear for emergency vehicles.
Authorities also urged people to keep their windows closed to prevent toxic smoke from entering their homes.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed support for the firefighters in the region, offered condolences for the injured, and urged caution and adherence to safety instructions.
The local fire service reported that 168 firefighters were deployed, alongside fire engines and helicopters. The fire reportedly started near the town of Les Pennes Mirabeau.
Flights to and from Marseille were suspended on Tuesday, and traffic at the city’s main station was disrupted due to the wildfire. Sections of two major motorways were also closed to traffic.
As a safety measure, the city’s Hospital Nord switched to generators “due to micro power cuts.”
Several weeks of heat waves combined with strong winds have increased the risk of wildfires in southern France, with several blazes breaking out over the past couple of days.
Climate change has made wildfires in the area even more destructive.
