The extreme heat being experienced in Europe is fuelling widespread wildfires across parts of Spain and France, leading to evacuations, transport disruptions and travel warnings in several popular holiday destinations.
Meteoalarm, the European Network of National Meteorological Services' weather platform, has issued warnings about potentially dangerous weather for parts of Spain, France and Belgium, as well as several countries in Eastern Europe.
France
France is experiencing an unprecedented wildfire season. According to Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, more than 116 000 hectares have burned and over 13 500 fires have been recorded since the start of the year, surpassing the previous record set in 2022.
The Guardian reported that thousands of tourists were among those forced to leave campsites and holiday accommodation as fires spread through southwestern France.
Spain
According to The New York Times, more than 105 000 people have been ordered to evacuate or shelter at home across Spain. About 90 000 of those are in Madrid and the neighbouring regions of Ávila and Toledo, while a further 15 000 are near València.
Other affected areas
Portugal, Italy, parts of the western Balkans and Turkey are also experiencing elevated wildfire danger, although the most significant travel disruption is currently concentrated in France and Spain. Travellers heading to affected regions are being advised to monitor local weather warnings for the latest updates.
