Wildfires are raging across popular British holiday destinations in Spain, Greece, France, and Portugal, forcing thousands to evacuate and prompting warnings for travellers to ensure their phones can receive emergency alerts.
Flames have scorched nearly 50,000 acres of land across southern Europe, an area roughly the size of Liverpool. Record-breaking early summer heatwaves with temperatures exceeding 40°C have created a "powder keg" of conditions, officials said.
Spain: Evacuations and Arrests
In eastern Spain, firefighters battled a wildfire near Soneja in Castellón province, with hundreds evacuated. In Catalonia, fast-moving flames destroyed 2,000 hectares of forest, and authorities urged residents to stay indoors. At the popular tourist resort of Platja d'Aro on the Costa Brava, around 150 people—including 70 children from a holiday camp—were evacuated. Catalan police arrested a man suspected of starting the fire while using an angle grinder by the roadside.
In the Sierra de Espadán Natural Park, more than 200 emergency workers, supported by the military and aircraft, fought the flames.
France: Tour de France Affected
In the French Pyrenees near the Spanish border, 700 firefighters struggled to contain an out-of-control wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 10,000 people. The fire nearly tripled in size since Sunday, coming within 30 metres of homes. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said on Monday: "This morning, conditions are deteriorating again," noting that twice as much land has burned this season compared to the same time last year.
Pierre Regnault de la Mothe, regional prefect of Pyrénées-Orientales, ordered Tour de France spectators to stay away from the route and finish area of Monday's third stage, limiting it to riders and essential vehicles. Fire chief Eric Belgioino stated: "Climate change is here, we are living the consequences and it is only the start of July. This season is going to be a long one for the soldiers fighting fires. You have to help us."
Portugal and Greece: International Reinforcements
In central Portugal, 1,200 firefighters and 15 aircraft battled a massive fire in the Vouzela area that had been burning for more than three days, with international reinforcements sent. In Greece, residents of parts of Thessaloniki, the country's second-largest city, were told to remain indoors with windows and doors shut due to toxic smoke from a recycling plant engulfed by flames.
UK and Travel Advice
As temperatures are expected to rise again this week, with a potential third heatwave bringing 40°C in Europe and above 31°C in the UK, fears of more fires persist. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) spokesperson told The Mirror: "While wildfire numbers this year have not yet reached the scale we encountered last year, the risk picture is evolving. If the hot, dry weather continues, we could see wildfires becoming larger, more intense and more challenging for fire and rescue services to tackle."
The Foreign Office advises: "Greece can experience extreme natural phenomena such as earthquakes, wildfires, extreme heat and flash floods. To be alerted to events near where you are located in Greece, make sure your mobile phone is set to allow emergency alerts."
