MARSEILLE — Flights scheduled at Marseille Airport (MRS) have been suspended due to a wildfire raging close to the southern French port city.

People in the affected areas are being urged to stay indoors and off the roads.

Some 168 firefighters, two helicopters and 68 engines were deployed to tackle the fire, which broke out in the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, with 30 hectares hit.

Several weeks of heat waves combined with strong winds have increased the risk of wildfires in southern France, with several breaking out over the past couple of days.

Marseille airport announced that the runway had been closed at around midday.

An update at the MRS site says: “Due to major fires at les Pennes Mirabeau, take offs and landings are suspended until further notice. We advise our clients to contact their airline for more information about their flight.”

The Travelweek Group’s Gary Lawrence, based in Montreal and editor in chief of Profession Voyages, is in Marseille near the Old Port and watching the situation unfold live. Any updates will be added to this article.

From Canada, Air Transat flies to Marseille from Montreal.

A spokesperson for Air Transat told Travelweek: “Due to the wildfires currently affecting the Marseille region and the temporary closure of Marseille Provence Airport (MRS), today’s flight TS435 from Marseille to Montreal is currently delayed.

She added: “We are closely monitoring the situation. We encourage travellers to check the status of their flights on our website or mobile app for the most up-to-date information.”

With file from The Associated Press