Europe’s wildfire emergency has entered a new phase, with some destinations moving from evacuation to recovery while new fires continue to affect tourist areas in Spain and Belgium. For the camping sector, the focus is increasingly shifting towards reopening, economic losses and the need to adapt to a higher-risk environment.
In France, the situation in Gironde and Landes has evolved from an immediate evacuation emergency towards recovery, but the consequences for tourism are becoming increasingly clear. The fires that devastated the region at the end of July were brought under control by the beginning of August. However, the resulting cancellations have had a major impact on the tourist economy. According to Le Monde, losses to tourism in Gironde and Landes are currently estimated at around €60 million, with some businesses reporting cancellation rates of up to 70% at the peak of the crisis.
The French government has now moved to a broader support programme. During a visit to the affected region on 17 August, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced €12 million in emergency funding for Gironde and Landes, together with tax and social-security measures for affected businesses. The measures are particularly relevant to tourism operators that were forced to suspend activity or suffered significant losses as a result of the fires. A further €2 million tourism promotion campaign has been announced to encourage visitors to return to Gironde and Landes and help salvage the remainder of the summer season.
The FNHPA had already reported that 62 campsites were evacuated in the two departments, with one completely destroyed and three suffering minor damage. The federation subsequently launched a nationwide solidarity operation, with 544 campsites offering alternative accommodation to displaced customers. Several evacuated sites have subsequently been able to reopen. For example, Yelloh! Village Les Grands Pins confirmed its reopening from 1 August after the fire had passed without directly damaging the campsite.
Spain: the risk has moved to new regions
Spain has seen a particularly dynamic situation since the previous Camping Business update. The Peñas de Riglos wildfire in Huesca, Aragón, became one of the most significant new developments for the camping sector. The fire, which started on 10 August, led to the evacuation of the Camping Pirineos in Santa Cilia de Jaca, involving around 100 people. By 14–15 August, the wider emergency had forced the evacuation of more than 1,000 people from numerous settlements and the campsite.
The fire subsequently grew to more than 18,000 hectares, threatening the historic monasteries of San Juan de la Peña before the situation began to improve. By 18 August, authorities had started the progressive return of evacuated residents as the fire entered a more stable phase.
Spain has also continued to experience serious fires elsewhere. In Huelva, the Niebla fire affected thousands of hectares and forced hundreds of people to evacuate. The situation subsequently stabilised, allowing authorities to begin moving from emergency response towards monitoring and damage assessment.
Belgium becomes a new concern for tourism
One of the most important developments since 14 August has been in Belgium, a country that had not featured prominently in our previous camping-focused coverage. A major wildfire in the High Fens (Hautes Fagnes) nature reserve has become one of Belgium’s largest recorded wildfires. Around 3,000 hectares have been affected, and approximately 600 people were evacuated from nearby areas. The fire has also required international assistance, including support from Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden.
The impact on tourism has been direct. Authorities advised tourists in the affected area to leave, while a children’s summer camp was also evacuated. In addition, around 50 holiday homes accommodating 200–300 people were evacuated in Waimes and Bütgenbach. While this is not yet a confirmed campsite evacuation, it is an important development for the European outdoor accommodation sector because it demonstrates that the wildfire risk is no longer confined to the Mediterranean or traditionally fire-prone regions.
Greece and Croatia remain affected
The situation in Greece and Croatia, already highlighted in the previous article, has also evolved. In Greece, the wildfire emergency around Salamina became particularly serious, with two people killed and around 500 people evacuated as flames approached populated areas. Other fires have continued to affect tourist areas, although improving weather conditions have helped firefighters in some locations.
In Croatia, the fire around Omiš resulted in the evacuation of around 1,200 people and dozens of injuries. The event underlined once again the vulnerability of coastal tourism destinations where accommodation is often located close to forested hillsides. As with the previous article, we would not name individual campsites in Greece or Croatia unless their involvement can be confirmed by a sufficiently reliable source.
A European wildfire problem, not simply a Mediterranean one
What has become clearer since 14 August is the geographical breadth of the phenomenon. France, Spain, Greece and Croatia remain affected, but the addition of Belgium, together with continuing fires in Portugal, Germany and other parts of Europe, shows that the risk is becoming increasingly difficult to describe as a purely Mediterranean phenomenon. Reuters reports that more than 576,000 hectares had already burned across Europe in 2026, roughly twice the area of Luxembourg.
The events of summer 2026 are forcing operators and authorities to reconsider vegetation management, firebreaks, emergency access, water availability, evacuation procedures, site layouts, insurance and business continuity. There is also a new economic dimension. The experience of Gironde and Landes shows that even when a campsite escapes physical damage, an evacuation can still generate substantial losses through cancellations, interrupted operations and the subsequent reluctance of tourists to visit an entire destination.
That may ultimately prove to be one of the most important lessons of the 2026 wildfire season for Europe’s camping industry: resilience is not only about surviving a fire. It is also about being able to reopen, rebuild customer confidence and recover the business afterwards.
Photo: Gerd Altmann
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