- As of Monday, there are more than a dozen fires burning across France, including on Corsica, and authorities in Spain have declared a national emergency because of wildfires in parts of Madrid and Ávila.
- Sophie Brocas, prefect of the French department of Gironde, said, "I urge tourists not to come," while advising those already there to consider an alternative destination.
- The UK government advises that access to affected areas in France may be restricted and roads may close at short notice, adding that further evacuations may take place.
- The official French wildfire map gives Gironde and Pyrénées-Orientales its highest fire alert level, while Aude and Var have its second highest alert level.
- Chris Bose, director of general insurance policy at the Association of British Insurers (ABI), states that if your travel plans are disrupted by a wildfire and your policy includes trip disruption cover, then travel insurance may cover some of the resulting costs.
- Only half of travel insurance policies have "catastrophe" cover, according to analysis from Defaqto.
- The amount of land burned by wildfires across Europe has increased by 57% since summer 2022, according to the World Health Organization, which adds that climate change is intensifying wildfires and increasing their frequency.
Wildfires in France and Spain have led to the evacuation of over 300,000 people, with many taking refuge in sports halls and temporary shelters. The situation has prompted the UK government to warn of potential further evacuations and travel disruptions.
In France, Sophie Brocas, prefect of the Gironde department, advised tourists to avoid the area, stating, "I urge tourists not to come," and suggested alternative destinations for those already present. Access to affected areas may be restricted, and roads could close at short notice.3
The French wildfire map indicates that Gironde and Pyrénées-Orientales are under the highest fire alert level, with more than a dozen fires burning across the country, including on Corsica. Meanwhile, in Spain, authorities have declared a national emergency due to wildfires affecting parts of Madrid and Ávila.1267
The World Health Organization reports that the amount of land burned by wildfires across Europe has increased by 57% since summer 2022, attributing this rise to climate change, which is intensifying wildfires and increasing their frequency. Chris Bose, director of general insurance policy at the Association of British Insurers, noted that travel insurance may cover some costs if plans are disrupted, but only half of policies include "catastrophe" cover, according to Defaqto.9
“The official French wildfire map indicates Gironde and Pyrénées-Orientales are at the highest fire alert level, while Aude and Var are at the second highest. Additionally, the World Health Organization reports that the amount of land burned by wildfires across Europe has increased by 57% since summer 2022, exacerbated by climate change.”
BBC
