Key Points at a Glance
- A general wildfire risk does not automatically entitle you to free cancellation.
- Package holidaymakers may have additional rights when their destination is directly affected.
- Independent travellers must consider flights, hotels and rental cars separately.
- Travel cancellation and interruption insurance does not cover every situation.
- Keep receipts and official information concerning evacuations and closures.
Package holidays generally provide greater protection
Travellers who book flights and accommodation as a package have a tour operator as their central contractual partner.
If unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances at the destination significantly affect the trip, there may be options ranging from changes to the itinerary to early repatriation or cancellation without additional charges, depending on the circumstances and applicable law.
The actual location of the wildfire is crucial. A fire somewhere on Crete does not automatically justify cancelling a holiday at the other end of the island.
The situation is very different if the hotel has been evacuated, the resort is inaccessible or travellers face an immediate and substantial danger.
Independent travellers face a more complicated situation
Anyone booking flights, a rental car, hotel or holiday apartment separately does not have one tour operator responsible for the entire trip.
If the flight is cancelled, airline rules and applicable passenger rights become relevant. But if the flight operates normally while an independently booked holiday home cannot be reached, these are two separate contractual relationships.
Flexible cancellation conditions are therefore particularly valuable when travelling to areas where disruption is conceivable.
What does travel insurance cover?
This is a frequent source of misunderstanding.
Traditional cancellation insurance primarily covers specified circumstances affecting the traveller personally, such as certain illnesses or other insured reasons for cancellation.
A wildfire at the destination is not automatically covered.
The same applies to travel interruption insurance. Travellers should therefore read the list of insured events rather than choosing a policy solely by price.
Additional hotels and replacement flights
A sudden change of plans can become expensive. Replacement accommodation, taxis, additional rental-car days and new flights can quickly cost hundreds or even thousands of euros.
Whenever circumstances allow, contact the tour operator, airline or accommodation provider before arranging an expensive alternative yourself.
During an official evacuation, however, safety obviously comes first.
Document everything
Travellers who later intend to claim reimbursement should retain:
- evacuation instructions,
- messages from hotels or tour operators,
- information concerning road closures,
- flight changes,
- replacement accommodation invoices,
- taxi and transport receipts.
Screenshots of official announcements can also be useful.
Reisebuch Tip
Do not keep essential travel documents on only one device. Tickets, insurance details and booking confirmations can also be securely stored online. Our guide to protecting cash and bank accounts while travelling provides further practical advice.
Don’t cancel prematurely because of headlines
“Wildfires in Spain” does not mean that a holiday on Mallorca or the Costa del Sol is necessarily affected.
Before cancelling an expensive trip, establish exactly where the fire is located and whether your destination is actually at risk.
Our guide “Travelling in Times of Wildfire Risk” explains how to assess the situation more realistically.
Those who already know that temperatures approaching 40°C, smoke or wildfire risk would spoil their holiday may be better advised to reconsider the season altogether. Peak summer in the Mediterranean is no longer automatically the best choice for every traveller.