Marseille, France and Wildfire
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A wildfire that reached Marseille has been pushed back but remains active. The mayor of France's second-largest city says that overall the fire is receding on Wednesday.
Firefighters worked through the night to prevent the blaze from entering France’s second-biggest city, and brought the wildfire under control on Wednesday morning.
The prefecture urged people in the affected areas to stay indoors and off the roads. With the fire approaching Marseille, the prefecture also advised residents in the northern area of the city to remain inside with doors and windows closed to prevent toxic smoke from entering their homes.
Officials said the airport for France's second-largest city could close for commercial flights to prioritise air resources if the fire flared up again
A wildfire threatening the outskirts of Marseille, France's second most populous city, was being fanned on Tuesday by a "Mistral" wind with gusts reaching 70 kph (43 mph).
1don MSN
Marseille Airport was temporarily closed on Tuesday due to a wildfire raging close to the southern French port city. An official update from the transport hub states that flights have now resumed without restrictions as of 9.30am on 9 July, although delays and cancellations are still expected.
Flights to and from Marseille have been suspended and traffic at the city’s main train station was disrupted due to a wildfire near the southern French port city.
More than 300 people have been evacuated and nearly 100 firefighters sent to tackle a wildfire in a tourist area of Marseille.