Apocalypse, fire burns the forests and nears Marseilles, closes the airport

A major fire has erupted in forests near Marseilles, southern France, causing alarm at local authorities, while flames, driven by strong winds, move toward the city.

Strong winds are reaching speeds of 70 miles per hour [70 km], making extinction difficult and accelerating the spread of the firefront.

The fire exploded near the town of Les Pens-Mirabeau, north of Marseilles, and is heading toward the western suburbs of the city. The 15th and 16th areas of Marseilles have already been put on alert, with authorities urging residents to stay inside their homes, close doors and windows, and avoid any movement in order to prevent the passage of fire and rescue vehicles

The city has suspended operations at the airport, while emergency services are on alert for a possible evacuation order. At the same time, according to BFMTV, train traffic near Marseille Station- Saint-Charles has also been partially suspended in both directions, with fire reaching the tracks.

At the same time, the mayor of Marseilles, Benoit Payan, urged residents to be extremely cautious and to limit their movements as much as possible so that there is room for emergency services, especially in the northern part of the town of”.

The mayor of Marseilles stressed that more than 700 firefighters are operating in the area, with 220 vehicles.

The dense smoke is already visible in the city, with the atmosphere becoming overwhelming in downtown Marseilles, which records a strong burning wind.

We were ordered to stay inside by means of a message we received on our mobile phone. We're waiting for further instructions”, Said Jacques Reville, a resident of the area.

A lot of our neighbors have already left, we'll stay if the firemen don't tell us otherwise, Said Monique Bayard from Le Pen-Mirabeau. The Provence-Alpes-Cʹte d'Azur posted on the X platform that “At this stage, citizens are required to stay in their homes and not be on the street“./Periscopi/