From wildfires in France and Spain to Japan’s powerful earthquake, here’s what you need to know about the latest natural disasters and their impact on travel.

EUROPE’S WILDFIRES

As major wildfires continue to burn across parts of France and Spain at the height of the European summer holiday season, Australian travellers are being urged to remain flexible, monitor local conditions and follow the advice of authorities.

Hundreds of thousands of residents and tourists have been forced to evacuate as fires sweep through parts of both countries, closing roads, disrupting rail services, delaying some flights and affecting popular holiday destinations.

While many areas remain unaffected, conditions can change quickly as firefighters continue to battle the blazes and another period of extreme heat looms.

If you’re travelling to France or Spain in the coming weeks, here’s what you need to know before you go.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is urging Australians travelling to affected areas to monitor conditions closely, remain flexible and make sure they understand exactly what their travel insurance does — and doesn’t — cover.

Smartraveller’s latest advice for France warns that wildfires are affecting parts of the country, with large-scale evacuations underway in south-west France, including tourist areas. Travellers are advised to monitor local media and follow instructions from authorities. Similar advice has been issued for Spain, where localised evacuations are occurring in several regions because of active wildfires.

JAPAN’S EARTHQUAKE

A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu yesterday, killing several people, injuring dozens and causing widespread damage to buildings, roads and transport infrastructure.

While the immediate danger has eased and the initial tsunami warning was lifted, travel disruptions across Kumamoto and parts of central Kyushu are expected to continue as authorities assess damage and carry out emergency repairs.

Damaged roads, power outages, flight disruptions and suspended rail services are all affecting travel in the region. Therefore, Australians with plans to visit the worst-affected parts of Kumamoto are being urged to reconsider non-essential travel to those areas until transport links and essential services are restored.

Travellers already in the region should monitor local media, follow the advice of Japanese authorities and remain in contact with their airline or tour operator, as schedules may change at short notice.

International flights to major gateways including Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka are operating largely as normal, as they are outside the immediate impact zone. However, flights to and from Kumamoto have been disrupted, while some Shinkansen and regional rail services across Kyushu have been suspended or are operating with delays.

Before departing, Australian travellers should also check the latest Smartraveller advice, confirm the status of their flights and accommodation, and ensure their travel insurance covers disruption caused by natural disasters.