Firefighters in Marseille, France, are still battling a wildfire that has left over 100 people injured and forced thousands to evacuate.
Gatekeepers News reports that the blaze, which broke out near Pennes-Mirabeau, north of Marseille, has covered approximately 700 hectares of land.
Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan reported that the fire’s intensity has decreased, but it’s still not completely under control.
“The marine firefighter battalion is waging guerrilla warfare, hoses in hand,” Payan said, describing the challenging efforts to contain the fire.
According to the interior ministry, 110 people have been slightly injured, including nine firefighters and 22 police officers.
At least 400 people have been evacuated from their homes. The fire spread rapidly, at a rate of 1.2 km per minute, due to strong winds, dense vegetation, and steep slopes.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed support for fire crews and residents, saying, “Our thoughts are with the injured and all residents.”
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau met with local officials, stating that around 800 firefighters would continue battling the blaze throughout the night.
Marseille Provence airport partially reopened on Tuesday and resumed full operations at 9:30 local time on Wednesday.
The airport’s president, Julien Coffinier, described the situation as unprecedented, saying he had “never experienced a situation of this magnitude.”
The wildfire in Marseille is part of a larger crisis affecting Europe, with other fires reported in Spain and Greece.
A wildfire near Narbonne, France, remains active, having burned 2,000 hectares of land.
In Spain’s Catalonia region, over 18,000 people were ordered to stay indoors due to a wildfire that has spread across nearly 3,000 hectares.
