Where are France and Spain’s wildfires and will they affect my holiday?

Firefighters have been battling around 30 separate fires in Spain alone

As Western Europe bakes under a widespread heatwave, numerous wildfires have been sparked across the continent, leading to evacuations and rescue operations.

In France, weekend temperatures soared to 40 degrees, while part of Spain hit 45 Celsius. In Portugal, the Ministry of Health reported that it had suffered 421 heat-related deaths between July 14 and 17.

Thousands of people have been evacuated as a result of the fires.

So which parts of these tourist-friendly countries are affected by the blazes, and could wildfires cause holiday or flight cancellations?

Here’s everything we know.

Which areas of Spain have been affected by wildfires?

Several areas of Spain have been affected by the extreme temperatures, which have so far hit 45.7 Celsius in the hottest parts.

Helicopters were used to dump water on towering flames in Casas de Miravete, in the Extremadura region, where two villages have been evacuated.

A fire in the Mijas hills, near the popular tourist town of Malaga, prompted more than 3,000 to be evacuated from their homes.

Tourists on the beach in Torremolinos, Malaga, could see plumes of smoke rising up above the beach hotels and apartments.

“The police drove up and down the road with their sirens on and everyone was told to leave. Just leave. No instructions where to go,” British holidaymaker John Pretty told Reuters.

“It’s frightening ... because you don’t know what’s happening,” added Belgian visitor Jean-Marie Vandelanotte.

Meanwhile more fires blazed in the regions of Castile and Leon and Galicia in the northwest of the country.

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez announced that he will travel to Extremadura early this week to visit some of the worst affected areas.

Which areas of France have been affected by wildfires?

The southwest of France has been worst impacted by the blazes. Some of the most dramatic wildfires have engulfed parts of France’s southwest Gironde department.

The town of Bélis, in the southwest of the country, recorded the highest temperatures last week, while the Teste-de-Buch and Landiras areas near Bordeaux were also affected.

Around 10,000 hectares were swept by the Gironde blaze on Saturday, as local fire brigades struggled to contain it, with some 14,000 residents evacuated from their homes.

“We have a fire that will continue to spread as long as it is not stabilised,” the deputy prefect for the Langon area told press.

Around 16,000 locals in the southwest regions have now been evacuated due to the fires.

With France’s heatwave temperatures set to peak on Monday, 38 of France’s 96 departments are on orange alert with warnings for locals to be extra careful.

Which areas of Portugal have been affected by wildfires?

Portugal has had some respite from the extreme temperatures after experiencing 40 C and above for several days last week, meaning its fires have largely been contained.

The country recorded 125 fires on Saturday, the highest number in a single day this year. In the next week, its temperatures are predicted to hit 43C.

July saw 1,000 heat-related deaths in Spain and Portugal combined.

Is anywhere else affected?

Morocco and Crete have both experienced wildfires sparked by the extreme weather.

Morocco has evacuated more than 1,300 people and deployed thousands of firefighters in the north of the country.

In Crete, a blaze around the area of Rethymno had been contained as of Monday.

Some areas of southern Turkey, Hungary and Croatia have also been affected, but not to the degree of France and Spain’s fires.

Are any flights being cancelled due to the fires?

Flight cancellations are a possibility when large plumes of smoke are rising above countries in an airline’s flightpath.

However, no airlines have yet announced flight cancellations to or over France, Spain or Portugal.

The Met Office has made an official warning saying that roads could be shut and flights cancelled due to the extreme temperatures in the UK.

Are any holidays being cancelled due to the fires?

No holiday companies or tour operators have announced cancellations due to the wildfires.

Due to the heat, UK train firms have warned that they could face disruption across the railways early this week, as high temperatures can heat and warp train rails and train drivers can be advised to travel more slowly than usual. The UK’s train firms are also advising against all but essential journeys during Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 July.

It comes after the UK’s Met Office issued its first ever “Red Alert” warning for exceptionally hot weather.