Wildfire risk in Spain has emerged as a major concern ahead of Wednesday's total solar eclipse, adding to the tourism-driven surge already reshaping the region. Spanish authorities are deploying 35,000 police officers and imposing bans on roadside parking, barbecues and fireworks amid extremely dry conditions, warning that a single spark could trigger devastating fires as up to 1.5 million extra car journeys are expected. Three large wildfires were already burning in Huelva, Segovia and Huesca as of Monday evening, with around 200,000 hectares scorched so far this year, six times more than by the same date in 2025.

The eclipse itself, the first total one visible from Europe this century, has driven hotel prices sharply upward: Reykjavík rooms averaged £587 (a 98% jump), while Spanish cities including A Coruña, Bilbao and Santiago de Compostela saw rises of up to 135%. Spain's finance ministry expects 460,000 overseas visitors specifically for the event, with some US travellers arranging house swaps in prime viewing region Castilla y León. Nasa has set up telescopes in the Spanish village of Villalibado to livestream the eclipse to over 10 million people, while a partial eclipse will be visible across the UK, peaking at 7.12pm in London.