“It’s not over yet,” monologues a resident of the Estac district, Marshall, as flames have engulfed several homes. In a landscape that looks like an apocalypse, the mayor of France’s second-largest city warns that the fire, which firefighters have brought under partial control, is “at the gates” of Marseille, and the French “112” is leading hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes.

For now, the beastly fire whose smokes darkened the city yesterday, has caused 110 injuries, and the omens for firefighters and Marseille residents battling the flames do not look good: The French weather service says that high temperatures and strong winds with gusts will continue; it is, after all, the season of Mistral, the famous wind that this time is acting as a factor in turning small fires into megafires.

Some flights have started operating at Marseille airport, which serves around 11 million passengers a day, and airport authorities are advising travellers to consult their airlines before going to the airport to find out if their flight will take place. The French president, who was in the UK yesterday on an official visit, declared his support “for our firefighters and the forces involved against the fires in the south-east, such as in Marseille, Narbonne and Le Puy-en-Vau”. Today, France remains on alert.

Mistral means alarm

In France, the weather service has issued an “extreme risk” warning for wildfires, as meteorologists see conditions these days resembling those of 2017, when at least 12,500 people were evacuated from their homes in mass evacuations of areas due to wildfires.

It is the season of Mistral, the Mediterranean, intense, dry and cold northwest winds that can reach and exceed 90 kilometres per hour in gusts, as expected yesterday (it eventually reached up to 70 km/h) with temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius. As those temperatures are expected to exceed 33 today, meteorologists say that if Mistral flares up again, the risk of the Marseille fire “flaring up” is huge. After all, Mistral is one of the strongest winds in Europe.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said the fire around Marseille would be contained overnight if the gale-force winds fanning the flames diminish as expected. So far, 400 people have been evacuated, about a dozen homes destroyed, and 63 others damaged, he said. He added that about 100 people had also suffered minor injuries, including those from emergency services.

“As I speak to you, there are no fatalities, which is remarkable given the extent of the fires,” he said on Tuesday night as he visited firefighters in the area. “But there is every reason to believe we are heading into a high-risk summer.”

Local media reported that the cause appeared to be a vehicle catching fire on the A552 motorway. The climate crisis is creating conditions that allow such fires to burn faster, more intensely, and over larger areas.

The fire has halted many of the city’s services. In addition to Marseille airport, rail services to and from the north and northwest of the city were disrupted, two highways, main road,s and several road tunnels in the city were closed, and several bus routes were canceled, authorities said.