Europe in Flames — Where Tourists Should Avoid Traveling Right Now

Extreme heat has gripped Europe, causing massive fires in France and Spain. In France, over 1.16 million dunams have been destroyed since the start of the year, with more than 13,500 fire outbreaks recorded. Thousands of tourists have been evacuated, especially on the Cap-Ferret peninsula. In Spain, over 105,000 people have been ordered to evacuate. Fires also threaten Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Turkey. The EU has deployed rapid response forces.

Extreme heat gripping Europe in recent days has led to a series of large-scale wildfires, particularly in France and Spain. The situation has affected popular tourist destinations, caused mass evacuations, and disrupted transportation. In France, since the start of the year, fire has destroyed over 1.16 million dunams of open land, with more than 13,500 fire outbreaks recorded—exceeding the anti-record of 2022. The Cap-Ferret peninsula near the Arcachon Bay has been particularly affected, with authorities ordering a complete evacuation of the area. Tens of thousands of residents and tourists have left the area, and dozens of homes have been destroyed. Two firefighters died while battling blazes near Bordeaux. Due to the heat, a stage of the Tour de France cycling race was shortened by about 30 kilometers amid temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius. In Spain, over 105,000 people have been ordered to evacuate or shelter in place, about 90,000 of them in the Madrid area and neighboring provinces of Avila and Toledo, and another 15,000 in the Valencia region. Elevated fire risk persists in Portugal, Italy, the Western Balkans, and Turkey. Greece is also at risk: authorities have identified nine regions with very high fire probability, including the island of Rhodes, the Thessaloniki area, Evia, and Thessaly. In early July, a fire northwest of Thessaloniki led to the evacuation of thousands and the deaths of two people. The European Union has deployed rapid response forces: 777 firefighters from 14 countries have been sent to high-risk zones, including Cyprus, Greece, Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal. The Meteoalarm platform has issued warnings about dangerous weather conditions in several regions of Spain, France, Belgium, and Eastern European countries.