Travellers planning holidays to France and Spain are being urged to monitor official advice as devastating wildfires continue to spread across parts of both countries, forcing more than 300,000 people from their homes and causing widespread disruption.

Authorities have ordered mass evacuations in several affected regions, with many displaced residents taking shelter in sports halls and temporary accommodation as firefighters battle dozens of active blazes.

In France, officials have urged visitors to avoid some of the worst-hit areas. Sophie Brocas, prefect of the Gironde department in southwestern France, appealed to tourists not to travel to the region while emergency services continue to tackle the fires.

“I urge tourists not to come,” she said, while advising those already in the area to consider changing their holiday destination.

Despite the severity of the fires, the United Kingdom has not issued a formal warning against travel to France or Spain. However, the Foreign Office has advised travellers to exercise caution, noting that access to affected areas may be restricted, roads could close with little notice and additional evacuations remain possible.

Authorities are urging anyone in affected regions to closely follow instructions from local emergency services. Emergency assistance in both France and Spain is available by calling 112.

The French wildfire alert system has placed the departments of Gironde and Pyrénées-Orientales under its highest fire warning level, while Aude and Var remain under the second-highest alert. More than 20 wildfires were reported burning across France as of Monday, including on the island of Corsica.

In Spain, the government has declared a national emergency because of wildfires affecting parts of Madrid and Ávila, while fires have also been reported in several inland regions.

The ongoing crisis has raised concerns among tourists with upcoming holidays, particularly over travel insurance and possible cancellations.

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Travel insurance experts say whether travellers are covered depends largely on the terms of their individual policies. Some policies include protection for trip disruption caused by catastrophic events such as wildfires, while many others do not.

Anna-Marie Duthie, a travel insurance expert at Defaqto, said travellers whose holidays are disrupted may be covered for cancellation, shortened trips or additional accommodation costs if their policy includes catastrophe cover.

However, industry analysis indicates that only around half of travel insurance policies currently offer this type of protection.

The Association of British Insurers has advised travellers whose flights or accommodation are cancelled to first seek refunds or alternative arrangements directly from airlines, tour operators or accommodation providers.

Passengers whose flights are cancelled because of the wildfires should generally be offered either a full refund or the option to rebook. Those who booked package holidays may also be entitled to refunds covering flights, accommodation and transfers.

Travellers who arranged flights and accommodation separately may need to negotiate with each provider individually, as accommodation providers may refuse refunds if their properties remain unaffected by the fires.

Consumer experts are also cautioning against cancelling holidays too early. Because there is currently no official advice against travelling to France or Spain, travellers who voluntarily cancel their trips may lose their right to refunds or insurance compensation.

Instead, holidaymakers are being encouraged to wait until closer to their departure dates while monitoring advice from their airlines, tour operators and government travel advisories.

The wildfires also highlight the growing impact of climate change on international travel. According to the World Health Organization, the amount of land burned by wildfires across Europe has increased by 57 percent since the summer of 2022, with rising temperatures contributing to more frequent and intense fire seasons.

Insurance experts believe climate-related disasters could eventually lead to higher travel insurance premiums and fewer destinations that insurers are willing to cover as extreme weather events become more common.

(BBC News)