Flights have been suspended at Marseille Provence Airport due to a wildfire raging close to the southern French port city.
The local fire service said 168 firefighters had been deployed to fight the blaze of around 30 hectares near the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, north of the city.
It came before a local official told French broadcaster BFM TV that the wildfire had reached the outer edge of Marseille – with its population of around 870,000 people making it the second most populous city in France.
Fire engines and helicopters have been used in the area response to the blaze.
Residents have been urged to keep streets clear to avoid hindering emergency services.
There have been no reports of casualties.
Some residents were urged to close shutters, doors and stay inside.
The spokesperson for Marseille airport said planes had not been taking off or landing since around midday and some flights had been diverted to Nice, Nimes and other regional airports.
Smoke over the mountains near Marseille.
Pic:@thisisoim_/Malik H
It was unclear when the airport would reopen.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the latest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
Doonited Affiliated: Syndicate News Hunt
This report has been published as part of an auto-generated syndicated wire feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been modified or edited by Doonited
