Wildfire in Southern France Evacuates 10,000, Tour de France Stage 3 Spectators Banned

The Tour de France announced that spectators will be prohibited from accessing the route of stage three after a wildfire broke out in the Pyrénées‑Orientales region of southern France. The 2026 edition, which begins on June 29, will see the third stage traverse the foothills of the Pyrenees on July 1, but safety concerns prompted race director Christian Prudhomme to order a complete ban on public viewing along the affected sections.

Local fire services reported that the blaze, ignited by high temperatures and strong winds, threatened forested areas adjacent to the race corridor, prompting the prefecture to declare a temporary exclusion zone. Organisers coordinated with emergency responders to secure the route, reroute support vehicles where necessary and ensure that riders can pass through the area without obstruction. The decision, communicated to teams and media ahead of the start, aims to protect both the public and participants while allowing the stage to proceed as scheduled.