Four firemen were injured, three of them seriously, as they battled several fires whipped up by high winds near Marseilles in southern France. Flames formed a column marching towards the Mediterranean port city, consuming at least 20 homes. About 1,800 firemen battled the blazes, backed up by firefighting planes.

Marseille France fire incendie Vitrolles
Fire consumes a forested area at Les Pennes-Mirabeau, near Marseille. Boris Horvat/AFP
Marseille France fire incendie Vitrolles
A helicopter prepares to drop water on a forest fire near Marseille. Boris Horvat/AFP
Marseille France fire incendie Vitrolles
A plane tanker drops fire retardant on a wooded area near Vitrolles. Boris Horvat/AFP

More than 1,000 people were evacuated in several towns in the region, notably Vitrolles and Pennes-Mirabeau. One of the fires threatened the town of Fos-sur-Mer, home to petrochemical plants. On Thursday morning (11 August) authorities said the fires were no longer threatening Marseille, but hundreds of people remained evacuated. The danger is not over for some nearby French towns and highways in the area are closed.

Marseille France fire incendie Vitrolles
Smoke from a nearby fire drifts across a petrol refinery in Fos-sur-Mer, near Marseilles. Boris Horvat/AFP
Marseille France fire incendie Vitrolles
High winds whip up the flames near Vitrolles. Boris Horvat/AFP
Marseille France fire incendie Vitrolles
A firefighter stands on a smoke-covered road near Marseille. Philippe Laurenson/Reuters
Marseille France fire incendie Vitrolles
French police stand at a roadblock as smoke fills the sky and blocks the sun. Philippe Laurenson/Reuters
Marseille France fire incendie Vitrolles
Smoke hangs low as it fills the sky while fires burn north of Marseille. Philippe Laurenson/Reuters
Marseille France fire incendie Vitrolles
A firefighting helicopter is used in the battle to tackle the blaze near Vitrolles. Boris Horvat/AFP
Marseille France fire incendie Vitrolles
Local residents watch as the fire rages near Vitrolles. Bertrand Langlois/AFP
Marseille France fire incendie Vitrolles
Firefighters work alongside the motorway leading to Marseille. Boris Horvat/AFP
Marseille France fire incendie Vitrolles
Flames consume a tinder-dry tree near Vitrolles. Boris Horvat/AFP
Marseille France fire incendie Vitrolles
A man talks with a French Red Cross volunteer in a gymnasium, after being evacuated from his home in Vitrolle. Bertrand Langlois/AFP
france fires marseille vitrolle
A woman looks at a house that was consumed by flames near Vitrolles. Boris Horvat/AFP
france fires marseille vitrolle
A burnt-out property is seen in Les Pennes Mirabeau. Boris Horvat/AFP
france fires marseille vitrolle
Fire-destroyed cars are seen in front of a Ford showroom in Vitrolles. Boris Horvat/AFP

Firefighters in Portugal are also battling multiple blazes fed by brush in a hot, dry summer. Three people died on the island of Madeira as flames roared through steep hills and dense woodland. Miguel Albuquerque, the regional government chief, said officials suspect that fire was started deliberately and police have made two arrests.

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