The most famous pilgrimage route in Europe is closed due to fires.

After weeks of fighting, Spain is still battling massive wildfires. On Monday, the flames began heading towards one of the world's most popular pilgrimage destinations. Santiago de Compostela, located beyond the Picos de Europa Mountains, was spotted rapidly spreading fires. Due to the continuing threat, a decision was made to close part of the Camino de Santiago route. Pilgrims were also urged to refrain from pilgrimages in the coming days.

The Camino de Santiago is at risk

The inevitable has become apparent – fearing the loss of life and limb, selected sections of the Camino de Santiago have been closed and pilgrimage participants have been urged to refrain from hiking for the foreseeable future. The Way of St. James is one of the oldest and most famous pilgrimage routes, consisting of a network of trails leading through France, Spain, and Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, among other places. The northern sections of the route, from Astorga through Ponferrada and Bembibre to Villafranca del Bierzo, are particularly affected. "This is a fire unlike anything we've experienced in 20 years," said Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles in an interview with Cadena SER. Unfortunately, temperatures will remain high, so the situation may not improve anytime soon.

Warning for tourists

For many tourists, walking the Way of St. James involves long days, even weeks, of hiking and the associated sacrifices. Some pilgrims, for example, choose not to use their phones during the pilgrimage. In many places along the route, internet access is simply weak or unavailable. Authorities are taking note of this and are asking people to try to contact their loved ones on the trail by phone, even if they don't have access to the latest information.