Spain has been highlighted as one country facing ‘dire’ risk of wildfires like those that have ravaged LA in recent days, with a warning issued to British citizens travelling overseas
A holiday destination favoured by Brits could soon face deadly wildfires, experts say.
Arid regions of Spain are under threat from forest fires, with growing fears of potential blazes striking in forests close to urban areas. It comes after wildfires ravaged parts of Los Angeles in California last week, resulting in 26 deaths and the displacement of 150,000 people.
The headlines have highlighted rising concerns for populations in areas at similar risk, with Spain already grappling with frequent forest fires. Foreign Office (FCDO) guidance on Spain travel currently says: “Wildfires happen often in Spain, including on the islands, during the summer months.
“Be aware of your environment when visiting or driving through woodland areas. For information on wildfire risk visit the Spanish Meteorological Office (AEMET).” A study from 2010 previously estimated more than a million hectares of forestry or woodland close to urban areas was at risk in Spain – with the situation having since worsened.
A wildfire in the mountains of the Costa del Sol, an area visited by two million Brits between January and August last year, resulted in the evacuation of 2,000 people in 2022. Meanwhile a forest fire in Tenerife in August 2023 which is suspected to have been started deliberately swept through 5,000 hectares resulting in the displacement of 26,000. The blaze was the worst to hit the Canary Islands in 40 years.
Cristina Montiel Molina, a professor at Complutense University, stresses that the risk has doubled as human activities further complicate firefighting efforts. Some 85% of fires are human-caused, Express.co.uk reports. Many people living in or travelling to these areas are often oblivious to the risks they face, Ms Montiel Molina added.
The expert told Spanish title elDiario: “The situation is dire, and I’m not exaggerating.” WWF forest fire expert Lourdes Hernandez added that, despite the critical risk, there was little clear mapping of risks or protection contingencies for residents.
“We continue to build in dangerous areas without considering fire risk,” said Ms Hernández. However, a recent legal restriction which came into effect only this week has placed a cap on any new holiday rentals to be built or registered in 43 areas of the Costa del Sol for at least three years in efforts to crack down on the impact of mass tourism in the region.
