The third stage of the Tour de France will proceed on Monday without spectators after wildfires forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 people in France’s Pyrénées-Orientales, authorities confirmed on Sunday night. The blaze near Trévillach has already scorched 4,500 hectares, with 700 firefighters struggling to contain the flames amid high winds and temperatures exceeding 40°C. A resident and a firefighter remain in critical condition after being injured in the inferno.

The Tour’s organiser, Amaury Sport Organisation, announced that the stage from Granollers to Les Angles will be held behind closed doors, citing “exceptional circumstances” and the need to prioritise public safety. “The absolute priority is protecting lives, property, and natural spaces,” said Prefect Regnault de la Mothe. The decision follows a weekend of escalating fires across southern Europe, where blazes have forced evacuations in Portugal, Spain, and Greece, burning more than 19,000 hectares in total.

In the Pyrénées-Orientales, the fire’s intensity has prompted the evacuation of 10,000 residents from 20 communes, with authorities warning that conditions remain volatile. Météo-France has placed seven departments on red alert for wildfire risk, while 41 others face heightened danger as a third heatwave of the year grips the country. The blaze has also disrupted transport, with the A9 motorway near Lédenon temporarily closed due to nearby flames.

International assistance has been mobilised, with Cyprus sending two firefighting air tractors to France under the EU’s RescEU mechanism. The fires have drawn comparisons to last month’s deadly heatwave, which claimed an estimated 20,000 lives across Europe, according to a preprint study. Scientists warn that climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of such events, with some tree species in southern France already nearing their “hydraulic failure threshold.”

The Tour de France’s adaptation reflects broader concerns about the intersection of sport and climate extremes. Organisers have faced similar challenges in recent years, including the 2022 edition, which was shortened due to extreme heat. While the race will proceed, the absence of spectators underscores the human cost of the crisis. “The forest fire of exceptional magnitude currently raging in the Pyrénées-Orientales requires a massive deployment of resources,” de la Mothe said. “But the clear and absolute priority remains the protection of our population.”

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Articles

Tourist spots across Europe hit by wildfires as Greece warns of toxic smoke Greece has avoided the heatwave but fires rage on

independent · about 4 hours ago

Gels, gâteaux, bonbons… Comment les coureurs du Tour de France sont devenus accros aux glucides Depuis quelques années, les athlètes «se forcent à manger des quantités folles» de sucre, en course et entre les étapes, pour booster leurs performances. Un gavage très encadré qui suscite malgré tout des inquiétudes pour leur santé.

liberation · about 4 hours ago

Dit is een Tour de France die alles heeft om in de laatste week te beklijven

de morgen · about 4 hours ago

Wildfires rage across southern Europe, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes. Hundreds of firefighters are battling blazes that have devastated more than 19,000 hectares across France, Spain, Portugal and Greece u.afp.com/SKdr

bluesky_AFP English · about 4 hours ago

Bosbranden Zuid-Frankrijk leiden tot massale evacuaties, al 4.500 hectare bos verwoest

parool · about 4 hours ago

Nächste Etappe der Tour de France muss ohne Zuschauer stattfinden Am Montag geht es auf der dritten Etappe der Tour de France von Spanien nach Frankreich. Ab der Grenze sind jedoch keine Zuschauer mehr erlaubt. Grund ist ein Waldbrand, der sich in den Pyrenäen immer weiter ausbreitet und auch den Zielort bedroht.

welt.de · about 4 hours ago

Brände: Schaden im fünfstelligen Bereich nach Brand einer Lagerhalle Feuerwehreinsatz am frühen Morgen: In Cottbus brennt eine 2.500-Quadratmeter große Lagerhalle. Der Brand kann schnell unter Kontrolle gebracht werden. Was bekannt ist.

tagesspiegel · about 4 hours ago

Cyprus sends air tractors to help combat wildfires in France Cyprus is sending two firefighting air tractors to France to help put out the wildfires raging in the country. The interior ministry announced late on Sunday that the two aircraft station in Cyprus are leased to the Republic of Cyprus by the EU through the RescEU mechanism. France issued a request through the mechanism for […]

cyprus mail · about 5 hours ago

5h. Dominado o incêndio em Vila Verde Ainda assim estão mais de uma centena de operacionais no terreno. Ainda, mais de 360 polícias reforçam a partir desta segunda-feira os aeroportos portugueses.

observador · about 5 hours ago

English wave sweeps over cyclings Tour de France: Professional cycling has become increasingly anglicised despite its French origins, even forcing French riders to learn English u.afp.com/SKdV

bluesky_AFP English · about 5 hours ago

Tienduizend mensen geëvacueerd in zuiden van Frankrijk om natuurbranden In het departement Pyrénées-Orientales, in het zuiden van Frankrijk, worden zon tienduizend inwoners geëvacueerd als gevolg van de natuurbranden in het gebied. Dat meldt de prefectuur op een persconferentie. Het vuur heeft al 2.000 hectare verwoest, schrijft Le Monde.

nu.nl · about 5 hours ago

EN DIRECT, incendies : dans les Pyrénées-orientales, le feu, « très virulent », a parcouru 4 500 hectares, plus de 10 000 personnes appelées à évacuer Les conditions météorologiques compliquent la tâche des 700 pompiers mobilisés. Létape du Tour de France de lundi se tiendra sans public, a annoncé la préfecture. Des incendies touchent également le Gard, la Drôme, lAude et lAriège.

le monde · about 5 hours ago

10.000 mensen geëvacueerd in zuidoosten Frankrijk om branden In het departement Pyrénées-Orientales, in het zuidoosten van Frankrijk, worden zon 10.000 inwoners geëvacueerd als gevolg van de natuurbranden in het gebied. Dat meldt de prefectuur op een persconferentie. Het vuur heeft al 4500 hectare verzwolgen.

rtl nieuws · about 5 hours ago

«Certaines espèces sont très proches de leur seuil de rupture hydraulique» : jusquà quel point les arbres résisteront-ils aux canicules ? Si la forêt française nest pas touchée uniformément, certaines essences, comme le frêne dans le sud-ouest de la France, sont mises en danger par les récents épisodes exceptionnels de chaleur. Le mois de juillet sannonce déterminant.

liberation · about 5 hours ago

US capital braces for very unhealthy air as July 4 fireworks loom Health officials warned that Washington DC and surrounding suburbs will face dangerous air pollution levels on Saturday as extreme heat combines with a massive Independence Day fireworks display, urging vulnerable residents to remain indoors and avoid outdoor activities.

yenisafak · about 5 hours ago

Fires break out on Greek islands Rhodes and Corfu Greek authorities have deployed dozens of firefighters and multiple aircraft to battle wildfires on the tourist islands of Rhodes and Corfu, stating that human negligence remains the leading cause of forest fires as officials step up enforcement with hundreds of fines and detentions since the start of the year.

yenisafak · about 5 hours ago

Al 4.500 hectare verwoest in regio Perpignan • Derde etappe Ronde van Frankrijk gaat ondanks bosbranden door, maar zonder publiek

de morgen · about 5 hours ago

Heat wave kills 25 as US Independence Day celebrations disrupted The National Weather Service warned that extreme heat and severe thunderstorms disrupted Independence Day celebrations across the United States on Saturday, with officials confirming that the death toll from the persistent heat wave has risen to 25 and nearly 156 million people remained under heat alerts.

yenisafak · about 6 hours ago

Renners gaan in derde etappe al bergop richting Frankrijk; geen publiek bij finish door natuurbranden

de volkskrant · about 6 hours ago

La vraie raison pour laquelle les Français nont pas la clim Climatisation à outrance dun côté, surchauffe de lautre : depuis le dernier épisode caniculaire en France, cet autre fossé entre Américains et Européens a été amplement médiatisé. Pour cet auteur américain, les différentes approches face à la climatisation sexpliquent par des conceptions très différentes de la souffrance physique et du sacrifice, dune rive à lautre de lAtlantique.

courrier international · about 6 hours ago

Derde etappe Ronde van Frankrijk gaat ondanks bosbranden door, maar zonder publiek • Evacuatiebevel voor tienduizend inwoners in regio Perpignan

de morgen · about 7 hours ago

Opnieuw raast een grote bosbrand door Frankrijk, Tour de France-etappe aangepast

de volkskrant · about 7 hours ago

Tour de France, la 3ª tappa Granollers-Les Angles: il percorso e dove seguirla in tv Arrivo per scalatori sui Pirenei orientali

corriere · about 7 hours ago

Al 10.000 mensen geëvacueerd in zuidoosten Frankrijk om natuurbranden, 4.500 hectare verwoest

de volkskrant · about 7 hours ago

Heat waves deadly impact grows Extreme heat gripping much of the U.S. has killed at least two dozen people over the past week, as about 40 million people remained under heat alerts Sunday.Why it matters: Extreme heat is the nations deadliest weather hazard, and the rising death toll underscores how dangerous prolonged heat can be.The big picture: A prolonged heat dome stretching from the Midwest to the East Coast has kept tens of millions under heat alerts and made the weeklong heat wave one of the summers deadliest weather events.Zoom in: Officials in New Jersey announced 22 heat-related deaths over the weekend, as a massive heat dome envelops much of the eastern U.S.Officials also reported one heat-related death in Cook County, Illinois, and one in Hinds County, Mississippi, during the broader heat wave, according to local officials.State of play: National Weather Service climate reports show daily record highs were set or tied across dozens of observing sites over the long Independence Day weekend. NWS climate records included Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., which saw back-to-back temperature records: a July 3 maximum of 102°F that tied for the record and a record July 4 high of 103°F. Screenshot: NWS Baltimore-Washington/XBetween the lines: Climate change is making heat waves longer, hotter and more frequent, studies show.Zoom out: World Weather Attribution analysis found human-caused climate change would have made Europes ongoing record heat "virtually impossible" 50 years ago.An estimated 20,000 people died in extreme heat across Europe last month, according to a preprint study.Whats next: The "footprint of the oppressive heat" will continue to contract through early this week, the National Weather Service said in a forecast discussion Sunday.Above-normal heat will persist across the Southeast, with highs well into the 90s from the Carolinas to northern Florida."Combined with high humidity and warm overnight lows in the 70s to near 80 degrees, these conditions will continue to pose an elevated risk of heat-related illness, particularly for those without adequate cooling or hydration," the NWS warns.Go deeper: What increasing heat does to our bodies

axios · about 7 hours ago

Auch Tour de France betroffen: 5000 Menschen in Südfrankreich wegen Waldbränden evakuiert Frankreich erwartet eine neue Hitzewelle. Anhaltende Dürre steigert bereits die Waldbrandgefahr. In mehreren Regionen herrscht Alarmstufe Rot.

tagesspiegel · about 8 hours ago

Wildfires rage in Portugal, Greece and Spain while Greek authorities warn of toxic smoke Hundreds of firefighters are battling wildfires in Portugal, Spain and Greece

abcnews · about 9 hours ago

Prantsusmaa metsapõlengud võivad mõjutada Tour de France´i etappi Prantsusmaal toimuv Tour de France on maailma üks suurimaid ja tuntumaid jalgrattavõistlusi, kus sportlased läbivad kolme nädala jooksul eri linnu ja piirkondi. Võistlus koosneb eraldi etappidest ning iga päeva lõpus selgub etapi võitja.

postimees · about 9 hours ago

Tour sem público em França por causa de incêndio A organização da Volta a França confirmou a decisão excecional para garantir segurança e permitir que bombeiros se concentrem no combate ao incêndio.

observador · about 9 hours ago

Infernos devastate forests as Europes temperatures rise again Wildfires raged across southern Europe on Sunday, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes and prompting Tour de France officials to ban spectators from a stage of…

japantoday · about 9 hours ago