Flights suspended as wildfire rages in France

People look on near the Plage des Corbieres as smoke from a wildfire rages on Tuesday (Image: CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU, AFP via Getty Images)

Flights at Marseille Airport have been halted due to a wildfire raging near the southern French port city, according to local authorities. On Tuesday, the prefecture advised residents in the affected areas to stay indoors and avoid travelling.

As the fire neared Marseille, the prefecture also recommended that residents in the city's northern area keep their doors and windows shut to prevent toxic smoke from infiltrating their homes. Live television footage depicted a haze of light smoke over Marseille's old port.

A total of 168 firefighters, two helicopters, and 68 engines were dispatched to combat the fire, which ignited near the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, affecting 350 hectares (865 acres). No casualties have been reported so far.

Marseille Airport confirmed that its runway was closed around midday.

Several weeks of heatwaves coupled with strong winds have heightened the risk of wildfires in southern France, leading to several outbreaks over the past few days.

Smoke rises during a wildfire in Pennes-Mirabeau, near Marseille, southern France, on Tuesday (Image: SDIS13 via AP)