Wildfires

Wildfires - Southern France

Multiple fires whipped by high winds were ravaging sites in southern France on Wednesday, moving from village to village and creeping toward the Mediterranean port city of Marseille.

Hundreds of children and adults were evacuated from recreation centres and homes in the town of Vitrolles, about 25 kilometres (15.5 miles) north of Marseille where some homes were burned down, and in nearby Pennes-Mirabeau. Two people were reported injured, one seriously as the fire marched southward, firefighters said, and 20 to 25 homes were burned. At least 2,700 hectares (6,670 acres) of land were devastated.

The largest fire was burning in the Rognac area, spreading southward to Vitrolles, Pennes-Mirabeau and Cabries. High winds blew flames through the dense brush of the southern backcountry, dry from a summer season with little rain.