Forest fires in southern France: Where are the fires burning? Are holiday destinations at risk?

Major forest fires have broken out in southern France. Travelers are wondering: Is my vacation destination affected? What rights do I have if there's a fire at my destination? An overview.

A total of seven forest fires broke out in southern France on Sunday afternoon, affecting the Aude department in the Occitanie region. The flames are spreading rapidly due to the ongoing drought, reports the website " Feux de forêts ."

The campsite in Bizanet was evacuated. A popular tourist destination, Fontfroide Abbey southwest of Narbonne, was also evacuated as a precautionary measure.

The A61 motorway was closed between exit 25 (Lézignan-Corbières) and Narbonne on Sunday afternoon. The closure has been lifted since Monday morning. Other roads in the Bizanet area are also closed.

The fires are now under control, according to the fire department. The forest fires were apparently caused by an unextinguished fire that was being transported on a trailer.

You can see where the forest fires are raging in France on a map created based on NASA data.

The map shows where forest fires are active in France. As of Monday, June 30, 2025.

Source: Firms Screenshot

Forest fires are considered extraordinary circumstances. However, there are legal differences between package tours and individual tours. With package tours, travelers can cancel free of charge under certain circumstances. "The tour operator must then refund the price," travel lawyer Paul Degott told reisereporter.

However, package holidaymakers can only invoke exceptional circumstances if the forest fires are in the immediate vicinity of the holiday destination and there are concrete disruptions such as ash rain or evacuation.

Anyone already in France who is suddenly affected by forest fires can cancel their trip early with their tour operator. The additional costs for the early return trip must then be shared between the traveler and the operator, according to Degott. There are also claims for reductions.

Travelers who aren't starting their vacation for a few weeks should wait and see how the fires develop at their destination. Degott says that mere fear of wildfires doesn't justify a free cancellation. Furthermore, the right to free cancellation cannot be exercised if the fires are far away from the vacation destination.

Individual travelers must adhere to the terms and conditions of their flight and booked accommodation. These should outline cancellation options. Often, if a flight is operating and accommodation is available, cancellations cannot be made free of charge.

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