Spain wildfires: where are they and will they affect my holiday?

Wildfires are raging in two Spanish regions after temperatures in the country hit record highs

Fires are breaking out across Avila (AFP via Getty Images)

Hundreds of residents have been evacuated from the central area of Ávila, Spain, following forest fires caused by the heatwave across southern Europe. Blazes have also broken out across parts of Greece, Turkey and Italy over the past week.

Firefighters from Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit have been working to combat the blazes in central province of Ávila, Castile and León, and Azuébar, Valencia, which erupted after several days of oppressive heatwave temperatures across the Iberian peninsula.

On Saturday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez tweeted, “Solidarity to the evacuated residents [of Ávila and Azuébar]. I can imagine their pain and worry,” and thanked the emergency services for their efforts to control the fires.

Where are the Spanish wildfires?

The majority of the wildfires are happening in rural and agricultural areas in the centre and south of Spain, away from the most popular holiday cities and coastal areas.

Around 600 people are reported to have been evacuated from five towns in Ávila, 110km northwest of Madrid; in Azuébar, some 300 troops and 21 aircraft were deployed to fight fires raging across 500 hectares. On Thursday, a blaze broke out in Massaluca, in the Tarragona region, burning 75 hectares of land and forcing a local campsite to evacuate completely.

On Saturday, the Spanish state of Cordoba provisionally reported a peak temperature of 47.2C in the city of Montoro. If confirmed, it will break the previous record of 46.9C set in July 2017.

What is the cause of the fires?

Wildfires are reasonably common in Spain during the summer months, when temperatures in dry wooded regions often exceed 40C; this risk has been amplified by the current ‘heat dome’ weather phenomenon trapping heat over much of southern Europe.

The staggering temperatures caused by global climate change, and a rise in suspended dust particles, have both increased the risk of fires, with five areas of the country on high alert. Evidence suggests that the fire in Azuébar was sparked by a lightning strike during a storm on Saturday night.

Are tour operators cancelling trips to Spain?

As the fires are mainly located away from the country’s top holiday towns and resorts, no UK tour operators or airlines are cancelling trips to Spain. The Foreign Office is encouraging travellers to take care when visiting forested areas of the country, emphasising the risks of lighting cigarettes, barbecues or campfires anywhere in rural regions.

Authorities in Catalonia banned camping in forests and sporting activities in rural areas on Thursday, in a bid to reduce the risk of local fires.