Summary: Wildfires are increasingly disrupting global travel. This blog provides essential tips for travelers on how to handle fire-related emergencies like evacuations or lodging loss, and highlights how travel protection from Generali Global Assistance can help you stay safe, informed, and supported.

Wildfires Are a Global Travel Risk

According to NASA climate change, extreme heat, and prolonged droughts, wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense worldwide. In recent years regions including Southern Europe, the western United States, Canada, Australia, and parts of Asia have faced devastating fires that disrupted travel and endangered lives.

Wherever you travel, from California to Greece, wildfires can lead to:

• Mass evacuations and emergency travel restrictions
• Flight delays and cancellations
• Road closures and rerouted transportation
• Health risks from poor air quality
• Loss of accommodations due to fire damage

Even if your destination isn’t directly affected, nearby fires can still impact your itinerary and safety.

Also Read: Travel Protection for California’s Wildfire Season

How Can Travel Protection Help in Case of a Wildfire?

Travel protection plans from Generali Global Assistance include coverages and services like 24/7 Travel Assistance and Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Medical & Dental, Emergency Assistance & Transportation coverages, that can help if a wildfire impacts your vacation.

What Happens During a Mandatory Evacuation?

If local authorities issue a mandatory evacuation, you may be forced to leave your accommodations with little notice. This can result in:

• Unexpected relocation costs
• Lost nights at your original lodging
• Interrupted travel plans or missed flights

How travel protection can help:

• Trip Interruption Coverage: May help with reimbursement for unused, non-refundable trip costs if you're forced to evacuate or cut your trip short due to wildfires.
• Coverage for Additional Expenses: May help with meals, lodging, and transportation if your trip is delayed or rerouted due to evacuation or fire-related disruptions.
• 24/7 Travel Assistance Services: Access to emergency support specialists who can help you find safe accommodations, rebook flights, and navigate local emergency procedures.

What if Your Accommodation or Home is Made Uninhabitable?

In a wildfire, there are two potential scenarios where you could lose your accommodations: your planned destination is affected, or your own home is damaged. Travel protection may provide crucial support in both cases.

If your hotel or rental becomes uninhabitable:

If your accommodations at your travel destination are destroyed or made inaccessible due to fire, travel protection may provide:

• Trip Cancellation or Interruption Benefits: May help with reimbursement for prepaid, non-refundable expenses if your lodging is damaged or inaccessible due to fire.*
• Emergency Support: Help finding alternative accommodations and managing logistics during a crisis.

If your primary residence is made uninhabitable:

In a less common but devastating scenario, a wildfire could destroy your home while you are on your trip or even before you leave. This would force you to cancel or cut your trip short to deal with the emergency. In this case, your travel protection plan may cover:

• Trip Cancellation: If your home is made uninhabitable by a fire before you depart on your trip, you may be able to cancel your trip and be reimbursed for your prepaid, non-refundable expenses.
• Trip Interruption: If a fire damages your home while you are already on your trip, you may be able to return home early and be reimbursed for the unused, non-refundable portion of your trip. The plan may also cover the cost of a one-way flight home.

Medical Coverage and Emergency Assistance for Wildfire-Related Injuries

In a chaotic situation like a wildfire, the risk of injury is a serious concern. Smoke inhalation, burns, or injuries sustained during an evacuation are all possibilities. Your travel protection plan can be a critical safety net in these emergencies.

Medical & Dental Coverage: This benefit can help cover the costs of unforeseen emergency medical treatment you might need, such as hospital stays, doctor visits, and prescription medications, if you are injured or become ill as a direct result of a wildfire. This is particularly important for travelers whose domestic health insurance may not cover them while they are away from home.

Emergency Assistance and Transportation Coverage:

• Emergency Medical Evacuation: If you are seriously injured and you need medical evacuation, this coverage can  help arrange and help pay for transportation to the nearest hospital that is capable of providing the necessary care. This can include expensive services like air ambulance transportation.
• Emergency Assistance Services: Generali Global Assistance’s 24/7 assistance team can help coordinate your care, provide a list of local medical facilities, and act as a liaison between you and your family at home. They can also help with other non-medical aspects of an emergency, like helping to arranage an emergency cash advance or helping you replace a lost passport.
• Repatriation of Remains: In the unfortunate event of a covered fatality, this benefit can help cover the costs of transporting remains home.

Stay Prepared with These Safety Tips

Whether you're planning a trip to a high-risk fire area or are already on a trip where fires have become a concern, here are some tips to stay safe:

Bookmark these websites for real-time information about fires:

• FireMap.live – A global fire tracking map.
• EFFIS – A European Forest Fire Information System with fire maps, forecasts, and alerts.

Download emergency alert apps relevant to your destination:

• 112 app (Europe) – download on Android and iOS
• FEMA app (U.S.) – download on Android and iOS

Monitor air quality and follow local advisories. Poor air quality from smoke can pose a serious health risk, especially for those with respiratory conditions.

Respect fire bans and evacuation orders—conditions can change rapidly and without notice.

Keep your important documents and a "go bag" ready. Pack essentials like medications, a change of clothes, and copies of your travel documents and insurance information in a bag you can grab quickly.

Review your travel protection plan to understand what's covered and how to access emergency services.

Why Get Travel Protection for Wildfire Risks?

With natural disasters like wildfires on the rise, travel protection is more essential than ever. Generali Global Assistance offers plans that go beyond basic coverage, providing real-time 24/7 support and emergency services, to help protect your vacation investment when the unexpected happens.

Whether you're traveling to wildfire-prone regions or simply want peace of mind, Generali Global Assistance’s travel protection plans give peace of mind that you're not alone when disaster strikes.

Ready to help protect your trip?

Visit Generali Global Assistance to explore travel protection options and get a quote today.

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* The onset of the disaster must take place within 30 days of your reservation. You qualify for a cancellation if you have 50% or less—or 4 days or less—of your reservation left when the destination becomes inhabitable again.