Is it safe to travel to Europe amid wildfires and floods?

Extreme weather conditions are causing natural disasters across Europe, from widespread wildfires in Portugal to torrential rain and floods in Eastern Europe. These disasters have claimed lives, threatened livelihoods and infrastructure, and prompted a travel update from the British Foreign Office.

Large forest fires in central and northern Portugal

In Portugal, it is central and northern areas that are worst affected by large forest fires in which at least two people are reported to have died, and some villages have been ravaged by flames. The district of Aveiro in the Centro region is one epicentre, but 1600 firefighters, plus eight water-bombing planes sent by Spain, France, and Greece, are tackling more than 20 active fires across the country, where anyone planning journeys should note major highways are disrupted by thick smoke and unnecessary travel is to be avoided. Further help is being sought from the European Union.

Flooding across Eastern Europe

Meanwhile, floods are sweeping Eastern Europe, where at least seven have died, and others remain missing, with some news outlets reporting as many as 16 deaths. Bridges have collapsed, buildings have been washed away, and mass evacuations have occurred, including in at least one hospital in Poland.

Five people are known to have been killed in Galati, Romania, which has seen the heaviest rainfall for 100 years flood over 700 houses, according to authorities. The local mayor has described what has happened as “a disaster of epic proportions.”

At least one person has died in Poland and three in the Czech Republic, which has seen three months of rain in three days. In Austria, the whole of the Lower Austria province has been declared a disaster zone, with a firefighter killed and metro stations flooded in Vienna, trains cancelled and disrupted and motorways out of use. Over 5000 calls to emergency services have been made.

Foreign Office travel advice

That situation is so bad it has led to the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office issuing new advice for anyone going to the Austrian region.

“Due to flooding in the east of Austria, there may be road closures and public transport disruptions in the affected areas. Please check road traffic information and public transport updates from Austrian Railways and Vienna Public Transport before travelling.”

Austrian Federal Railway has said “deviations and delays in train services are to be expected from Friday, September 13 to Thursday, September 19. We therefore ask you to postpone non-urgent journeys to another time.”