Large numbers of people - residents and holidaymakers - are being evacuated from the affected areas, in some cases having to leave possessions behind and escaping at the last minute. I do hope that everyone is safe.
------------- Freedom is a light caravan and an open road.
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I was just watching it all on the news, and it's all rather horrifying!
Big concern it seems is about individual fires combining and becoming truly unmanageable with dire consequences, Madrid itself is at serious risk!
A peninsular (Cap Ferret peninsula) is always a bad place to be trapped, because once the land exit is blocked you are literally driven into the sea as your only escape!
Got a couple of friends who live in Moraira, Spain, thankfully there doesn't seem to be great risk around them at the moment at least, but the temps are scorching!
The whole world is burning it seems!
I'm concerned about my trips in the UK, an awful lot of combustible material around the sites I'm on/considering, just takes one idiot to set it off.
Really glad I'm not on the continent ATM, apart from the obvious immediate risks, there seem to be potentially some major detours to avoid affected areas if traveling.
For one of my recent trips, there were some multi-unit groups and the 6m rule went out of the window. If something happened to one of the units, the whole lot would go up in flames!
The Cobb has been assessed as acceptable for use on a site that does not allow charcoal BBQs if the conditions are deemed too risky for fire by the local fire brigade after a devastating wild fire in the forest nearby a few years ago.
I try to be as careful as I can to minimise fire risks, by placing the Cobb on a stool table and to start the fire and using it well away from grass and hedges.
I should have a bucket of water nearby when I use the Cobb going forward!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 24/7/2026
......
The Cobb has been assessed as acceptable for use on a site that does not allow charcoal BBQs if the conditions are deemed too risky for fire by the local fire brigade after a devastating wild fire in the forest nearby a few years ago.
I try to be as careful as I can to minimise fire risks, by placing the Cobb on a stool table and to start the fire and using it well away from grass and hedges.
I should have a bucket of water nearby when I use the Cobb going forward!
DK
Next week I'm off for my annual Rescue Dogs camping w/e rally that I organise, a part of that is our fundraising Sat afternoon BBQ (we don't charge for food, we ask for a donation to cover costs and a bit more on top to raise funds for the charity), so it's an important part of our event. We always use largish charcoal BBQ's, but are especially aware of the elevated risks this year, the BBQ's are off the ground anyway and sited on hardstanding, but we'll have several buckets of water to hand 'just in case'.
The site rules and our own supplementary event rules for individuals has always been BBQ's off the ground AND on hardstanding only, this year we'll be vigilant to ensure that happens.
If BBQ's are banned on the day, then there's going to be a lot of cooking on caravan and MH stoves to have food to be shared amongst the masses!!!!! ..... don't really think I want to be couped up in my van cooking in bulk!
I don't think the campsite itself is a huge risk, but it's surrounded by grazing farmland, and I expect that to be a tinderbox, so all risks minimised.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Sat outside our house in the Dordogne and in the last hour we've noticed a a slight sweet smokey smell in the air. Given the wind is a westerly and there are two massive fires in the pine forests on the Gironde coast a good 150km west of us we reckon that's the cause.
When we lived in Sheffield on a few occasions we could smell peat burning on the Pennine moors - naturally closer but smaller fires.
at Monty - IMHO, instant BBQs and instant burning charcoal/briquettes are risky due to the paper packagaging that is often impregnated with fuel could break off while they are being burnt and fly off while still burning when it is windy.
I have had that happened to me in the past, hence I no longer use them.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 25/7/2026
at Monty - IMHO, instant BBQs and instant burning charcoal/briquettes are risky due to the paper packagaging that is often impregnated with fuel could break off while they are being burnt and fly off while still burning when it is windy.
I have had that happened to me in the past, hence I no longer use them.
DK
No instant/disposable BBQ's DK, already ruled them out on a number of counts. Good thought though DK, not one everyone would have considered that. We would normally use one for the few Vegans/Veggies to avoid them having meat juices on their food, but we'll use a separate proper BBQ this time.
We'll be using 'proper' BBQ's and instant lighting charcoal so as to minimise the raging inferno that some people crave when dousing with excess lighter fluid! There will by some pyromaniacs that will NOT be doing the group BBQ for us this year! - sensible people lined up for the job.
Just about to put a post on our group blog about individual BBQs being used safely, and a COMPULSORY need to have a bucket of water to hand. Already have a long standing instruction that firepits are NOT to be used at the event - seen far too many sparks and embers fly into the air from them, so we'll have none of that!
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Quote: Originally posted by longcol on 25/7/2026
Sat outside our house in the Dordogne and in the last hour we've noticed a a slight sweet smokey smell in the air. Given the wind is a westerly and there are two massive fires in the pine forests on the Gironde coast a good 150km west of us we reckon that's the cause.
When we lived in Sheffield on a few occasions we could smell peat burning on the Pennine moors - naturally closer but smaller fires.
Major incident declared as the fire in the Cairngorms has reignited (some residents in the village of Nethy Bridge have been evacuated, admittedly small scale compared to the situation in France & Spain). The smoke is causing almost foggy conditions in Aberdeen, some 60 miles away.
I am a bit of a pyro freak myself ever since I was young, and love the start of a BBQ when the firelighters burn.
I don't like to use liquid fuel though as it is less controllable IMHO.
There had been reports of a number of fires, including one that involved a camping stove and burnt a tent and surrounding areas at a festival.
Be careful everyone!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
A couple of friends and ex-colleagues/bosses who live in the Netherlands have an elderly relative in Spain whom they need to visit.
To avoid the wildfires in France, and the risks of getting stuck along the way, they are travelling to the UK via the tunnel, then on to Plymouth to catch the ferry to go to Santandar!
No time to meet up as it is a long and complicated journey already.
The ciders and perries I bought for them can wait until I visit them next year in the Netherlands.
Good luck to them with this journing as they are travelling during a very busy holiday weekend! The journing from Folkestone to Plymouth is estimated to be 5.5h alone! Good job they are two of them to share the driving!
Luckily, the elderly relative lives in Northern Spain and they do not have to travel very far from Santander once they get off the ferry.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 29/7/2026
A couple of friends and ex-colleagues/bosses who live in the Netherlands have an elderly relative in Spain whom they need to visit.
To avoid the wildfires in France, and the risks of getting stuck along the way, they are travelling to the UK via the tunnel, then on to Plymouth to catch the ferry to go to Santandar!
No time to meet up as it is a long and complicated journey already.
The ciders and perries I bought for them can wait until I visit them next year in the Netherlands.
Good luck to them with this journing as they are travelling during a very busy holiday weekend! The journing from Folkestone to Plymouth is estimated to be 5.5h alone! Good job they are two of them to share the driving!
Luckily, the elderly relative lives in Northern Spain and they do not have to travel very far from Santander once they get off the ferry.
DK
The chance of a journey from the Netherlands to N Spain being interupted by wildfires is negligible unless going via Bordeaux - (according to Bison Fute the A63 from the Bordeaux ring road towards Arcachon still closed ). But that is by far and away the mosts direct route and fastest.
Might actually make a lot of sense as a drive from Netherlands to N Spain via France would be nigh on three times that from Folkestone / Plymouth and would likely need an overnight or two even with two drivers.
Better to have relaxed crossing and have a short drive at the other end IMHO.
Quote: Originally posted by longcol on 30/7/2026
The chance of a journey from the Netherlands to N Spain being interupted by wildfires is negligible unless going via Bordeaux - (according to Bison Fute the A63 from the Bordeaux ring road towards Arcachon still closed ). But that is by far and away the mosts direct route and fastest.
Might actually make a lot of sense as a drive from Netherlands to N Spain via France would be nigh on three times that from Folkestone / Plymouth and would likely need an overnight or two even with two drivers.
Better to have relaxed crossing and have a short drive at the other end IMHO.
Thanks for that. I am certain they would have taken everything into consideration and decided on the best route for them.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Son returned home (France) from UK yesterday. (Gatwick to Bordeaux).
Bordeaux Airport open.
His (French) wife was able to pick him up and travel home south to Mont-de-Marsan (Landes).
Whilst she's not in the habit of travelling on toll routes, I've no idea whether the drive was via main/motorway roads or back roads, but at least they could get through... which didn't appear to be possible 3 days previous.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Fires in France and Spain
..... don't really think I want to be couped up in my van cooking in bulk!
via mobile 25/7/2026 at 1:47pm
