The fierce forest fire that broke out this morning in the Pennes-Mirabeau has reached the outskirts of Marseille, having travelled nearly 750 hectares within a matter of hours. Despite a slight lull towards the end of the day, the authorities remain cautious: “The situation is under control, but under close surveillance,” said the Prefect of Bouches-du-Rhône. The Bruno Retailleau, Minister for the Interior is expected to arrive at 10.30 pm to take stock of the situation.
At 7 pm, 720 firefighters and marine firefighters had been mobilised, including several reinforcements from other departments. More than one a dozen or so homes were affected by the fire, and Nine firefighters were injured in fire-fighting operations.
Airport closed, motorways blocked, trains and buses suspended
The fire has had a severe impact on the Marseille region. Marseille-Provence Airport has been closed for 12 hours. Seventy flights have been cancelled and several aircraft diverted to Nice, Montpellier or Lyon. Air traffic is likely to resume very gradually overnight, with disruption expected from Wednesday morning.
The the A55 and A50 motorways are partially closed. Traffic has been completely halted between the A7/155 junction and La Calade. Motorists are advised to take the A52 or the A8 to reach Aix or Lyon. TGV and TER trains are also severely affected. Services have been suspended at Saint-Charles station, except for those bound for Toulon.
Neighbourhoods evacuated, public transport at a standstill
In Marseille, several neighbourhoods in the north The following areas were evacuated: Saint-Antoine, Mourepiane, l’Estaque, Saint-Henri, Saint-André, as far as Septèmes-les-Vallons. Smoke blanketed the town and air quality deteriorated significantly.
On the RTM network, bus routes 25, 35, 36, 95, 96 and 98 have been suspended. Intercity coaches serving the Étang de Berre and the Côte Bleue have also been suspended. The Vieux-Port, Major and Prado-Carénage tunnels are closed to prevent traffic congestion.
Live tracking and recommendations
In light of this exceptional situation, the authorities are calling for avoid travelling, at to remain in lockdown and to Do not overload the routes that are still open. The prefecture and the emergency services are insisting that the guidelines be strictly followed.
To follow the situation in real time, visit:
- the map of current fires
- the alert level map
- the forest weather
Stay tuned to Feux de Forêt for regular updates.