Europe Wildfire Smoke & Air Quality (August 2026): Is It Safe to Travel?

What to check before you travel

1. Check the fire map: use the Copernicus EFFIS current situation map for active fire locations.
2. Check live air quality: search your exact city on the European Air Quality Index or IQAir on the morning of travel.
3. Check your flight: use the airline or airport website rather than relying on general news reports.
4. Check local instructions: do not travel into evacuation, exclusion or road-closure zones.
5. Protect your health: if smoke is present, reduce strenuous outdoor activity, keep indoor air as clean as possible and consider a well-fitting respirator such as an N95 or FFP2. People with heart or lung disease, asthma, older adults, children and pregnant travellers should take extra care.

Air quality by city: live PM2.5 snapshot

This is a moment-in-time snapshot, not a forecast, checked on the morning of 7 August 2026.

The WHO figure of 15 µg/m³ is a guideline for a 24-hour average, so a single live reading should not be treated as a direct pass-or-fail comparison. Air quality shifts with wind direction and fire activity, so recheck before you travel rather than relying on this snapshot.

Madrid and Athens were at or above the WHO’s 24-hour guideline level of 15 µg/m³ when checked, both still rated Moderate on IQAir’s US AQI scale. Catania, Antalya, Bordeaux and Lisbon were below the guideline level, though Catania and Antalya were also labelled Moderate on the US AQI scale.

Conditions can change during the day, especially when wind shifts, so treat every figure here as a snapshot rather than a forecast.

Wildfire and travel checks by destination

Fire risk is regional. Use the relevant tracker below, then confirm the status of your exact town, airport and road route.

For general air-quality checks, the advice is the same everywhere: look up your exact city on a live monitor the morning of travel, since a single country-level status can hide big local differences. The country notes below cover only what is different or worth knowing beyond that general rule.

Greece

The major wildfire west of Athens, near Psatha and Porto Germeno in Attica, has burned more than 14,000 hectares since it broke out on 31 July 2026, and fire officials described the situation there as much improved by 5–6 August. Two firefighting helicopter crew members died in a mid-air collision on 2 August while responding to the blaze, and more than 100 homes have been destroyed or damaged.

Earlier outbreaks on Crete, Paros and Cephalonia in late July also burned land but are no longer the active front. Check the Greece Wildfires tracker and the Crete Wildfire guide, confirm your airport status before travelling, and compare flights to Greece or flights to Athens on Wego.

Spain

The merged Madrid–Ávila wildfire, roughly 50km west of the capital, has burned tens of thousands of hectares since it broke out in late July, and Spain’s national emergency declaration remains in force. Around 24,000 of the roughly 63,000 people evacuated at the peak have since returned home, and the evacuation order for Ávila province has been lifted, according to Spain’s interior ministry.

Check the Spain Wildfires tracker for current evacuation and restriction areas. Check flights to Spain or flights to Madrid on Wego.

Portugal

Portugal’s nationwide state of alert, declared in early July 2026, remains in force, with active fires still burning in the north around Vilarandelo, Chaves and Valpácos. 2026 is on track to be the country’s worst year for burned area since 2017, with the number of individual wildfires up roughly 70% on the same point in 2025.

Check the Portugal Wildfires tracker and verify local fire warnings for your route. Compare flights to Portugal or hotels in Lisbon on Wego.

France

The Gironde wildfire near Bordeaux, France’s largest since the Second World War at roughly 42,000 hectares burned, was declared under control by the prime minister on 1 August 2026, though some perimeter zones near Cap Ferret remained locked down as of 2 August. The Gironde préfecture also banned outdoor festivals, concerts and sporting events until 06:00 on 8 August, citing lingering air-quality concerns for prolonged outdoor gatherings.

Bordeaux Airport is operating a normal commercial schedule, and hotels near the airport that were closed by evacuation orders are gradually reopening. See the France Wildfires tracker, and check flights to France or flights to Bordeaux on Wego.

Türkiye

Türkiye fought more than 115 separate wildfires across Antalya, Muğla, Balıkesir and several other provinces after fires flared on 29 July 2026; most, including the Fethiye and Kaş fires, are now fully contained. A handful of blazes, including near Alanya, were still described as largely but not fully contained as of early August, and access to the Olympos ruins in Antalya has been suspended.

Check the Türkiye Wildfires tracker and confirm local alerts and airport operations before travelling. Compare flights to Türkiye or flights to Antalya on Wego.

Sicily, Italy

Sicily remains on high alert, with dozens of individual wildfires breaking out through late July and into August as scirocco winds and extreme heat continue across the island. Fire crews, ground vehicles and aircraft remain active on multiple fronts, including areas near Agrigento where more than 100 people were evacuated.

Check the Sicily Wildfires tracker and verify conditions for your airport and road route on the day of travel. Compare flights to Italy on Wego.

Is it safe to travel to Europe right now?

For most destinations, yes. Wildfires are serious but localised, and Europe is not under a continent-wide travel shutdown.

Reassess or reroute your trip if your destination is under an evacuation order, roads are closed, your flight is disrupted or smoke is affecting your health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) — Extreme Wildfires in Western Europe Expose Millions to Dangerous Air Pollution Levels
2. Copernicus EFFIS — Current Wildfire Situation Map
3. European Environment Agency / European Commission — European Air Quality Index
4. World Health Organization — Global Air Quality Guidelines
5. IQAir — Madrid Air Quality (7 August 2026 reading)
6. IQAir — Catania Air Quality (7 August 2026 reading)
7. IQAir — Antalya Air Quality (7 August 2026 reading)
8. IQAir — Athens Air Quality (7 August 2026 reading)
9. IQAir — Bordeaux Air Quality (7 August 2026 reading)
10. IQAir — Lisbon Air Quality (7 August 2026 reading)
11. Euronews — Firefighters Scramble to Contain Fires Outside Athens Before High Winds Return, 5 August 2026
12. France 24 — France’s Devastating Wildfires Are Now “Under Control,” PM Lecornu Says, 1 August 2026
13. Türkiye Today — Wildfires in Antalya, Muğla and Balıkesir Nearly Contained, 31 July 2026
14. La Sicilia — 40 Wildfires Break Out Across Sicily
15. Wikipedia — 2026 Spain Wildfires (evacuation and containment figures, cross-checked against primary reporting)
16. Portugal Resident — More Than 15,000 Hectares Burn in Portugal in Five Days

Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to make sure the information in this article is as accurate and up to date as possible at the time of publishing. Travel details such as prices, schedules, visa rules, and entry requirements can change at short notice, so it remains your responsibility to verify the current details with official sources before you book or travel. Wego accepts no liability for any loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this content.