A violent fire hit the city of Marseillein the south of France: according to local media, the flames would have broken out yesterday, July 8, a Pennes-Mirabeau, a municipality of about 20,000 inhabitants, and then reach Marseille fueled by the strong winds that have reached the 70 km/h. The mayor of Marseille confirmed to the French broadcaster BFMTV that the fire, at its peak, spread at a speed of 1.2 km per minute.
Due to the fire they are burned about 700 hectares: 110 people they were slightly injured and 63 buildings They were damaged by the flames, but no victims have been reported. Beyond 400 people they were evacuated From their homes, while Marseille airport has been closed and suspended railway traffic. According to some local media, at the origin of the fire, there could be the stake that starts from a car in flames on theA552 motorway.
The residents were warned to stay at home and not to evacuate unless they were ordered, so that the roads were free for the Emergency vehicles. The authorities also invited the inhabitants to keep the windows closed To prevent toxic smoke from entering homes. To tame the bonfires they were lined up beyond 800 Fire Brigade and five Canadair planeswith the firefighters who worked incessantly throughout the night.
In total, the firefighters had to face eight different bonfires, one of which has reached the municipalities of Castelnau-de -gua And Mountain: due to the smoke produced by the flames, a stretch of theA9 motorway It was closed in both senses of circulation.
At the moment, the situation in Marseille seems to have returned under control, with the Air traffic which was gradually restored From 9.30 pm yesterday July 8: the local authorities confirmed that the fire is “clearly attenuating“, even if the local railway lines remain strongly compromised.
In the south of France, among other things, they occurred Several fires Also in other areas: in particular, in the Department ofHérault (where Montpellier is also found) others have been burned 400 hectareswhile in the region ofAude (in the south-west of the country) For a few days they have been active in the fires that have already damaged 2,000 hectares. In recent weeks, fires have involved all Europe: several bonfires have broken out in Italy along the entire peninsulafrom Rome to Sardinia, while the Greek islands of Crete and Chios They were affected by violent fires fueled by strong winds and droughts.
