Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes and holiday plans as wildfires spread across popular European destinations. France and Spain are grappling with particularly severe blazes, with authorities urging cancellations for upcoming trips.
France is experiencing an unprecedented wildfire season, with nearly 4,000 people evacuated from campsites and holiday parks around Lacanau on the Atlantic coast. President Emmanuel Macron described the situation as the most severe recorded since World War II. In the Landes area, southwest of Bordeaux, fires have consumed 42,000 hectares of pine forest. While some evacuees in Biscarrosse have been allowed to return home, officials caution that flare-ups remain possible due to weather conditions. The Bordeaux area is forecast to reach 33 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, with temperatures predicted to peak at 37 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.
In Spain, the country entered its fourth heatwave of the summer as multiple wildfires remained out of control. Hundreds of firefighters, supported by military emergency brigades and aircraft, are battling blazes, including the largest ever recorded in the country. Approximately 79,000 people have been evacuated, and another 30,000 ordered to stay in their homes. The largest fire, in the hilly terrain of Ávila west of Madrid, has scorched over 193 square miles. This year, fires in Spain have burned 590 square miles, six times the area scorched in the first half of 2025. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called for a national pact to combat wildfires exacerbated by climate change.
Portugal remains on high alert, with a wildfire burning through the northern district of Braga. Over 100 firefighters were engaged in battling flames in Vila Verde on Monday evening. Italy is also struggling with fires, with hundreds evacuated from beaches in the seaside town of Peschici in Puglia. Sicily, Calabria, Molise, Sardinia, Umbria, and Tuscany have also been affected.
British tourists planning holidays in these affected European regions may face difficulties claiming refunds for cancelled trips. While the Foreign Office has updated travel guidance for France and Spain, it has not officially advised against travel to the affected areas. This means insurance policies may not cover cancellations unless specific conditions, such as illness, are met. The Association of British Insurers advises travellers to speak with their insurers before cancelling any travel arrangements.