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Marseille Airport was temporarily closed due to a wildfire raging close to the southern French port city, local authorities said on Tuesday.
An official message on the airport’s website says: “Due to a fire at Pennes Mirabeau, landings and takeoffs are suspended until further notice. We advise you to contact your airline for more information.”
The prefecture urged people in the affected areas to stay indoors and off the roads.
Flights cancelled and diverted at Marseille airport
Marseille Provence Airport, which serves France’s second-biggest city, announced that the runway had been closed at around midday.
The airport said the cause was nearby wildfires, fanned by winds of up to 70 kilometres per hour.
A spokesperson for Marseille Airport said planes had not been taking off or landing since around midday.
Cancellations included Ryanair services to Tangier, Naples and Nantes, a British Airways flight to London Heathrow, a Transavia France flight to Brest, Brussels Airlines to Brussels, Volotea to Oran and Swiss to Zurich.
Some flights were diverted to Nice, Nimes and other regional airports.
Marseille Airport website shows some flights have now managed to land, although delays are expected throughout the afternoon.
Departing flights are also experiencing delays of an average of 166 minutes, according to FlightRadar24.
It comes during a peak travel season as the French summer holiday period begins.
French regions under red alert for wildfires
Several weeks of heatwaves combined with strong winds have increased the risk of wildfires in southern France, with several breaking out over the past couple of days.
Some 168 firefighters, two helicopters and 68 engines were deployed to tackle the fire, which broke out in the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, with 30 hectares hit.
There have been no reports of casualties.
A red alert has been issued for forest fire risk in Bouches-du-Rhone, Var, and Vaucluse, France.
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