Live updates: France wildfires create ‘fire clouds,’ as Spanish authorities say blazes ‘active and uncontrolled’
Wildfires in France and Spain have prompted local authorities to issue travel warnings and safety advice for tourists. While some regions are heavily impacted, officials emphasize that many areas remain safe for travel.
Why it matters
The fires highlight the increasing impact of climate-related extreme weather on the European tourism industry and the importance of emergency coordination.
Link Copied! Thinking of traveling to Spain or France? Here's what to know By Billy Stockwell Smoke fills the sky as fires burn in Onda, Spain, on Monday. Pedro Nunes/Reuters Authorities in France over the weekend warned tourists not to travel to the country’s wildfire-hit southwest but sought to reassure visitors that other regions remain unaffected by the flames.
Sophie Brocas, prefect of the badly affected French region of Gironde, said on Sunday, “I urge tourists not to come,” while advising those already there to consider an alternative destination, according to CNN affiliate BFMTV.
Meanwhile, Éléonore Caroit, France’s minister for international partnerships, urged tourists not to cancel their holiday plans and emphasized that most of the country remains untouched.
In Spain, Madrid region’s local government warned against trips to impacted areas, including reservoirs “near the affected spaces.” But no blanket travel ban has been issued.
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