This July 8, Marseille Provence Airport in France was temporarily closed due to a wildfire sweeping through the southern part of the country. Consequently, flights to and from the airport were canceled, diverted to other regional airports, or delayed.
A message was shared on the airport’s official website, stating the following: "Due to a fire at Pennes Mirabeau, landings and takeoffs are suspended until further notice. We advise you to contact your airline for more information."
Indeed, at any moment on our planet something is always burning. Wildfires are a growing threat, and they have the ability to devastate communities and reshape entire ecosystems. While it's difficult to compute the exact number of wildfires that run rampant around the world, experts have determined that more than 350 million hectares (about 865 million acres) are burned every year, including croplands, forests, and grasslands.
Globally, wildfires add around five to eight billion tons of CO2 to the atmosphere annually. But why are certain regions more susceptible to such disasters? And how can nighttime make fires even deadlier? Click through this gallery to find out.