Chaos in the south of France: Forest fires close Marseille Airport!

Chaos in the south of France: Forest fires close Marseille Airport!

In the south of France, on July 8, 2025, there were devastating natural fires that significantly affect the lives of many residents. The fire brigade is in large operations, especially around Marseille, where several fire has broken out since a heat wave. As a result of these events, Marseille Airport was closed at noon after a vehicle fire broke out on the nearby motorway. The flames quickly spread to adjacent natural areas, which is why the closure of the airport was inevitable, reports Vol.at .

Prefecture asked the residents of Marseille to be arranged to stay in their apartments and keep windows closed to protect themselves from the penetrating smoke. In order to strengthen the problem, large swaths of smoke from the port of Marseille are visible. The residents of the Pennes-Mirabeau suburb were also instructed not to leave their apartments, while the fire brigade has already lost 30 hectares of forest through the fire.

forces in the large alarm

The fire brigade has over 60 vehicles, two helicopters and around 170 defenders available to control the rapidly escalating fire. At the same time, around 1,000 firefighters are fighting against a large fire at Narbonne, which is currently being continued by wind. So far, 2,000 hectares of forest have already been affected in this region, which is due to the drastic effects of the last heat wave and the increased risk of fire due to climate change, such as Tagesspiegel.de reported.

In many affected areas, settlements were also evacuated, and traffic on a railway line and several motorway sections in the region have been interrupted. The motorway 9, which was blocked on Monday, is now released for traffic.

climate change as a catalyst

The intensive nature of these fires is reinforced by climate change. Increasing temperatures and increased extreme weather events lead to an increased risk of fire in forests, meadows and agricultural areas. In this situation, firefighters are crucial for the protection of people and their owners, and they face increasingly challenging conditions. The need for adapted fire protection clothing is high to ensure the health and safety of the emergency services. Innovative approaches in the manufacture offer heat-reflecting materials, breathable fabrics and integrated cooling systems in order to meet the requirements of climate change, a report by s-gard.de .

These developments underline the need to equip firefighters accordingly in order to be able to better counter the challenges of the current fire disaster and future operations. Cooperation between manufacturers and fire brigades is crucial to further improve security and efficiency.