Spain wildfires LIVE: Foreign Office's new advice amid 'very high' fire threat

Daily Mirror

11 hours ago

The British Foreign Office has revised its Spanish travel advice - as the country faces a "very high or extreme" wildfire threat.
Temperatures have soared to 45C in Spain, which has fuelled several blazes, including multiple across northwestern regions in recent days. Soldiers continue to support firefighters across the Galicia and Extremadura regions in particular, both of which border Portugal.
And, with around two weeks left of the school summer holidays, the danger poses a threat to British holidaymakers considering the Iberian Peninsula - or with trips booked there already. The Foreign Office's website now reads: "There is a high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October."
But it doesn't warn against travelling to Spain, which last year welcomed more than 18 million visits from Brits. Holidaymakers, though, should be aware the smaller, sparsely populated towns, especially across Galicia in the northwestern tip of Spain, have been ravaged by the fires.
Are you in Spain and affected by the wildfires? Contact [e-mail]
03:43Bradley Jolly
Towns in northern Spain ravaged by the wildfires
The fires in Galicia have ravaged small, sparsely populated towns - forcing locals in many cases to step in before firefighters arrive.
Firefighting units from Germany arrived in northern Spain on Tuesday to help fight the blazes, Spain's Interior Ministry announced. More than 20 vehicles were deployed to help fight an ongoing blaze in Jarilla in the Extremadura region that borders Portugal, the ministry said.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the area Tuesday and spoke of the heat that has fueled the fires. Temperatures across Spain dropped by about 4 degrees Celsius (about 7 degrees Fahrenheit) Tuesday after a 16-day heat wave with several days above 40 C (104 F), Spain's weather agency reported.
03:41KEY EVENT
Foreign Office updates advice for travel to Spain
Following the major wildfires yesterday, the Foreign Office revised its Spanish travel advisory, stating: "There is a high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October."
Officials warn that severe weather conditions can impact numerous Spanish regions, particularly throughout the warmer months.
But crucially, it hasn't added Spain to the "no go" travel list.
03:36KEY EVENT
One of Spain's most destructive wildfire seasons
Spain is experiencing one of the country's most destructive wildfire seasons in recent decades.
Temperatures are dropping - but they had peaked at 45C last week.
Thousands of firefighters aided by soldiers and water-bombing aircraft continue to fires tearing through parched woodland. It is especially severe in northwestern Spain, where the country's weather agency AEMET reported a still 'very high or extreme' fire risk — particularly in the Galicia region.