The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued 'high risk' travel warnings for Spain, Cyprus, Turkey, and France due to severe wildfires sweeping across Europe. The warnings come as scorching temperatures and dry conditions fuel blazes that have claimed dozens of lives.
Deadly Wildfires in Spain
In Spain, 10 people remain missing following a wildfire that swept through an isolated expatriate community in the southern region of Los Gallardos last week. The blaze killed 13 people, including a 93-year-old British national who died from injuries on Sunday. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was due to visit the site on Monday. Regional authorities confirmed the fire was contained on Sunday, having devastated approximately 70 square kilometers (27 square miles) of forest and farmland—an area larger than Manhattan.
Fontainebleau Fire Threatens Paris
A major fire in the historic Fontainebleau forest, located about 70 kilometers (42 miles) south of Paris, forced evacuations of residential neighborhoods and disrupted train and highway traffic on Monday. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that all necessary resources were being mobilized to tackle the fire of 'exceptional scale.' Two water-bombing aircraft and hundreds of firefighters were dispatched to the scene, according to regional fire service spokesman Paul Laurain.
Heatwaves and Wildfire Risk
Europe is currently experiencing its third red-alert heatwave this year. Temperatures have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in western and central France, with around 37°C (98°F) in Paris. The Met Office reported that record heatwaves since May have made 2026 the first year to register temperatures of 35°C (95°F) or above on six separate days, surpassing the previous record set in 1976 and 2020. Natural England's fire severity index has placed much of England at a 'very high' risk of wildfires, with certain areas in southern England and the Midlands facing an 'exceptional' risk.
FCDO Advice
The FCDO warns: 'There is a high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October. Ensure that your mobile phone is registered to receive emergency alerts to be warned of wildfires near your location. Wildfires are highly dangerous and unpredictable. The situation can change quickly.' The advice applies to Spain, Cyprus, Turkey, and France, where wildfires have already caused widespread devastation.
Climate Context
Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, with temperatures rising twice as quickly as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service. The combination of extreme heat, strong winds, and minimal rainfall has created ideal conditions for wildfires to spiral out of control. In the UK, dozens of rural homes in north Wales were evacuated after a wildfire broke out across a mountainside on Sunday.
