French army drills 'cause fire'

Marseille officials and residents are angry at the army over the fire French firefighters have been tackling a major wildfire sparked by a military exercise on the outskirts of Marseille. The blaze threatened some 400 homes and forced the evacuation of a retirement home and centre for disabled people. Officials say the fire is now "under control", although some 500 firefighters remain at the scene. A senior government official said he was "furious" at the army and that troops should have taken more care while carrying out artillery practice. "It's completely unacceptable that the army keeps up these activities during this period as though there was no problem," Regional prefect Michel Sappin told RTL radio. The French armed forces announced it had suspended a Foreign Legion officer who was in charge of the practice, the AFP news agency reports. Wildfires are common in southern France in summer.