IN BRIEF
- More than 330,000 people have been evacuated across France and Spain as wildfires threaten popular tourist destinations.
- Travellers are being urged to monitor Smartraveller advice and understand what their insurance policy covers.
As hundreds of thousands of people flee fast-moving wildfires across Europe, Australians heading overseas are being urged to stay informed, monitor official travel advice and understand what their travel insurance covers if their plans change.
More than 330,000 people have been evacuated across France and Spain as fires burn through popular holiday destinations, closing roads, delaying flights and forcing communities to flee. Authorities have also issued fresh evacuation orders near the historic Spanish city of Toledo, while firefighters continue battling major blazes around Bordeaux in southwestern France.
The fires have intensified during Europe's busy summer holiday period, with airports, major roads and tourist destinations among those affected as emergency services race to contain the blazes.
Bordeaux remains under threat
In France, more than 220,000 people have been evacuated as wildfires continue to burn through the Gironde region, home to vineyards, coastal towns and the popular tourist destination of Cap Ferret.
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French interior minister Laurent Nuñez described the situation as "very unfavourable", warning the fire was moving towards Bordeaux, although authorities have so far ruled out evacuating the city itself.
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."
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