Fleeing Wall of Flames: Tourists escape French wildfires

And BBC South’s Joanna Kent, who was on holiday on the Cape Ferret Peninsula earlier this week, recalled seeing the camp deserted after two vans of police told tourists they had 30 minutes to leave.

While the wildfires show no sign of abating any time soon, the UK Foreign Office is not currently advising against travel to France or Spain.

French International Cooperation Minister Eleanor Caroit advised tourists on Saturday: “You have good places, you see similar events in Spain and other countries. I am in Paris and nothing happens, and most other regions are safe, so please come to France and do not cancel your travel plans.”

But be advised of what is happening wherever you are.

In Madrid, the fire is burning in a large area outside the city center – and authorities are struggling to stop the different fires from joining.

But the fire shut down the US space agency NASA, which is 37 miles (65 km) west of the city.

Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of the Madrid region, described the fire as “the worst fire in the region’s history”, with the region experiencing a “perfect storm” of high temperatures, constant winds and fire fronts.