The forest fires in Spain and southwestern France are now leading to concrete failures in road transport. Kühne+Nagel warns of closed roads, interrupted rail connections, and short-term access restrictions around Madrid, Ávila, and Bordeaux. Direct disruptions at Spanish seaports have not been reported so far.
In France, DSV has now also confirmed significant restrictions. According to a customer notice dated July 28, pickups and deliveries in numerous areas west and southwest of Bordeaux are severely impaired. In many locations, transport operations have been suspended indefinitely.
Particularly important for less-than-truckload customers: International shipments destined for the affected areas are being held at origin terminals. Pickups from shippers can still be carried out in some cases, provided the local terminal has sufficient capacity. However, the cargo remains at the origin terminal and is not dispatched to the main line.
DSV has identified 20 affected postal code areas. These include, among others, Arcachon, La Teste-de-Buch, Cestas, Mios, Le Teich, Andernos-les-Bains, Biscarrosse, Le Barp, and Saint-Jean-d'Illac.
Major transport corridors are also affected. The Gironde prefecture reported severe traffic disruptions and partial closure of the A63 motorway. This highway is one of the most important truck routes between Bordeaux, the French Basque Country, and the Spanish border.
In Spain, the situation remains tense. The La Mierla fire in Guadalajara has affected more than 35,000 hectares according to preliminary Copernicus data. RTVE describes it as Spain's second-largest forest fire of the 21st century.
A new heat wave is expected to further worsen the situation. AEMET forecasts very high temperatures from July 29 through at least August 2, with increasingly elevated and in some cases extreme wildfire risk.