Here in Marseille, we’re usually grateful for the cooling breeze that blows in from across the Mediterranean. However, this week the wind fanned a wildfire burning on the city’s hinterland. The blaze was soon at the gates of France’s second city and led to emergency evacuations, damage to scores of homes, the airport’s closure and the disruption of rail connections to Paris. On Tuesday lunchtime in my quartier in central Marseille, the sun suddenly turned an incensed orange as billowing clouds of smoke rose from the city’s northern flank. My throat grew scratchy and my eyes began watering. Local authorities later advised residents to stay indoors and keep all windows closed.

Many of us who live in the south of France have been factoring the risk of wildfires into our summer plans for some time now. Rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves are key factors but the French authorities note that human activity is by far the most common trigger of such infernos. Government figures suggest that 90 per cent of blazes in the country are caused by negligence. The interior minister, Bruno Retailleau, repeated this sobering statistic when he arrived in Marseille this week, warning the public of a “high-risk” summer.

Two years ago, while reporting for Monocle, I gained some insight into how the increasing frequency – and ferocity – of wildfires is spurring France to action. In Velaux, a village about 35km from Marseille, thousands of firefighters have been trained at a special facility for learning how to tackle forest fires. The centre features a unique simulation site dotted with tree-like metal structures that erupt in gas-powered flames.  

“In the Mediterranean region, we have been confronted by such fires for a long time but the season is getting earlier and earlier every year,” Jean-Luc Beccari, the director of the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service of Bouches-du-Rhône, told Monocle. But the longer-term trajectory in France and elsewhere in Europe looks ominous: a UN report projects that wildfires on the continent will increase by 30 per cent by 2050.

While France is trying to persuade more people to sign up as volunteer firefighters – some estimates predict that a further 50,000 will be required by 2027 – it’s also trying to tackle the issue with legislation. In 2023, French parliamentarians voted to outlaw smoking in all forests and woodlands during periods of elevated risk. That ban built on an existing law forbidding the lighting of fires within 200 metres of wooded areas. 

Staff members in Velaux told me that their wildfire simulation site was the only one of its kind in Europe. They’re keen to share lessons with other nations across the continent experiencing an uptick in wildfires. In countries from Spain to Greece, towns and governments can learn from France’s focus on raising public awareness, investing in specialised training centres and encouraging recruitment and volunteering. As Beccari put it, “This is a collective challenge that affects us all.”

Fitzgerald is Monocle’s North Africa Correspondent. For more opinion, analysis and insight, subscribe to Monocle today.