As sweeping wildfires rapidly spread across Europe, travelers from Australia venturing abroad this season are strongly advised to stay vigilant. It’s crucial to regularly check official travel advisories and understand the extent of their travel insurance, particularly if circumstances alter their plans.
In a concerning turn, over 330,000 individuals have been forced to evacuate in both France and Spain due to relentless wildfires engulfing beloved holiday locales. Roads have been closed, flights disrupted, and entire communities are on the move. The situation has grown dire enough to prompt new evacuation orders near the ancient city of Toledo in Spain, while in southwestern France, near Bordeaux, firefighters are still contending with extensive fires.
The timing of these wildfires is particularly disruptive amid Europe’s bustling summer vacation season. Airports, key roads, and sought-after tourist sites have all felt the impact as emergency workers strive to tame the relentless blazes.
Bordeaux remains under threat
France has seen over 220,000 evacuations as fires continue their perilous journey through the Gironde region. Known for its vineyards, beautiful coastal towns, and the attractive Cap Ferret, the area now faces unprecedented threats from the fires.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has described the conditions as “very unfavourable,” cautioning that the fires are advancing towards Bordeaux. Nonetheless, evacuation of the city itself has not been deemed necessary at this point.
The blaze came within about 15km of Bordeaux’s outskirts over the weekend, prompting police to go door-to-door in nearby communities to evacuate residents.
Travel has also been disrupted, with Bordeaux Airport reporting widespread delays after air traffic restrictions were introduced to allow firefighting aircraft to operate safely.
Spain battles record fires
Spain is also grappling with multiple major blazes, with more than 115,000 people evacuated and another 30,000 ordered to shelter in place.
The largest fire, in the central province of Ávila, has burned more than 50,000 hectares, making it the country’s biggest wildfire in recent history. Fires continue to burn near Madrid and in the eastern province of Castellón.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced a civil protection emergency will be declared in the affected central regions, unlocking additional recovery funding.
More than 150,000 hectares have burned across Spain since the start of the year — six times the area destroyed over the same period last year.
What should Australian travellers do?
Australian travellers are being urged not to panic, but to closely monitor conditions, remain flexible and understand what their travel insurance does — and doesn’t — cover if their plans are disrupted.
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said Australians travelling through Europe during the northern summer should stay informed about bushfires and severe weather, monitor local media and follow the advice of emergency authorities.
“Travellers should monitor the media for the latest updates and follow the advice of local authorities,” the spokesperson said.
“Be aware of emergency warnings and adjust travel plans if needed. Travel disruptions may occur in areas affected by wildfires.”
DFAT also urged Australians planning overseas travel to take out travel insurance, carefully read their product disclosure statement and subscribe to DFAT’s Smartraveller destination advisories to receive the latest updates.
The Insurance Council of Australia said travellers should carefully read their policy to understand what is and isn’t covered, including any exclusions or limits that may apply.
It said some comprehensive travel insurance policies may provide cover for cancellations, delays, interrupted holidays or additional expenses caused by wildfires, but whether a claim is paid depends on the policy’s terms and conditions and the individual circumstances of each traveller.
The industry body also noted that travel insurance is designed to cover unforeseen events, meaning the timing of when a policy was bought can be important.
It added that Smartraveller advisories may also be considered when assessing claims, with travelling against a “Do Not Travel” advisory potentially affecting cover under some policies.
Angus Kidman, travel expert at financial comparison site Finder, said travellers affected by the fires should first contact their airline, accommodation provider or tour operator before lodging an insurance claim.
“If your holiday in Spain or France is being impacted by active wildfires, your first call shouldn’t be to your insurer — it should be to your airline, accommodation provider or tour operator,” he said.
“Many travel providers offer free rebooking, travel credits or full refunds when natural disasters strike.”
Kidman said travel insurance was intended to cover non-refundable, out-of-pocket expenses where travel providers were unable to help, and urged travellers to keep receipts, cancellation notices and records of any additional costs if they needed to make a claim.
He also warned against waiting until a disaster was already unfolding before purchasing insurance.
“The biggest mistake travellers make is rushing to buy insurance after a natural disaster breaks out,” he said.
“Travel insurance is meant for unforeseen events. Once a wildfire is widely reported in mass media or declared a ‘known event’, taking out a new policy won’t cover you for disruptions stemming from that event.”
