Southern Europe Wildfires Prompt Evacuations and Spectator Ban on Tour de France Stage – 2026

Overview On Monday, 6 July 2026 , intense wildfire crisis swept across Portugal, Spain, France and Greece. Thousands were forced to leave their homes and French authorities ordered a spectator‑free Tour de France stage in the Pyrenees. Key Developments More than 19,000 hectares (42,000 acres) – over twice the size of Manhattan – have burned across the four nations. In southwestern France , 700 firefighters and special aircraft fought a blaze that grew to 4,600 hectares near Perpignan, evacuating over 10,000 residents . One firefighter and one local resident were injured; a resident reported the fire came within 300 metres of houses. The French Pyrenees stage of the Tour de France will run without spectators, limiting access to riders and essential race vehicles. In Greece , a forest fire damaged two factories in Thessaloniki and prompted window‑closure warnings. Spain’s Costa Brava fire consumed 2,200 hectares in two days; Portugal reported control of 80 % of a 13,000‑hectare blaze in the north. Fires also hit Croatia’s Hvar island and Albania’s Tale region, destroying vineyards and scrubland. Important Facts The heatwave that preceded the fires was one of Europe’s worst in June 2026, causing thousands of excess deaths. The World Weather Attribution group said the mortality surge would have been “virtually impossible” without <span class="key-term" data-definition="Climate change – long‑term alteration of temperature and weather patterns caused largely