Catalonia has restricted access to six natural areas from Friday 4 July because of extreme wildfire danger, with the measures still in force as of Sunday 6 July. The closures affect Montserrat, Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac, Montsant, Els Ports, Cardó-Boix and Les Gavarres, according to the Generalitat, the Catalan government, and reporting based on official announcements.

For residents, hikers and visitors, the immediate consequence is simple: planned walks, climbs and rural visits in these areas may not be possible until the restrictions are lifted. The Generalitat has tied the closures to a spell of very high temperatures, low humidity and dry vegetation, conditions that sharply raise the risk of a fast-moving forest fire.

"The fire can spread up to 30,000 hectares," Catalan president Salvador Illa said when announcing the closure of Les Gavarres, warning of the scale a major blaze could reach under current conditions.

Which natural areas are affected

  • Montserrat
  • Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac
  • Montsant
  • Els Ports
  • Cardó-Boix
  • Les Gavarres

Les Gavarres was closed after a fire that began near La Bisbal d'Empordà in Girona province. According to reports citing emergency services and the Generalitat, the blaze had burned around 2,300 hectares and reached housing areas in Calonge.

The wider restrictions were expanded over the weekend as fire risk remained extreme in parts of Catalonia. Catalan public broadcaster and other local reporting also said 133 municipalities were placed on very high fire risk alert, although readers should check official updates because local risk levels can change day by day.

Why the restrictions were imposed

The Generalitat's civil protection and fire prevention planning links access controls in forests and natural parks to periods of severe danger, especially when heat, wind and very dry fuel coincide. The current measures come during an episode of very high fire danger forecast from Saturday 5 July to Thursday 10 July, with Sunday 7 July identified in reporting as a day of extreme risk.

The Catalan government's INFOCAT wildfire emergency framework was updated to deal with more severe scenarios linked to climate change, and authorities have repeatedly warned the public to avoid behaviour that could start a fire. In practice, that means limiting access to the most exposed natural areas when the risk reaches exceptional levels.

What visitors should do now

Anyone planning to visit Montserrat or the other affected parks should check the latest notices from the Generalitat and the park managers before travelling. Restrictions can change quickly depending on temperature, humidity and any active fires nearby.

People in or near forested areas are also being urged to avoid any activity that could ignite vegetation, especially during the current hot spell. As of Sunday 6 July, the six named natural areas remained subject to access restrictions because of extreme fire risk.

Primary sources: civil-protection-knowledge-network.europa.eu, govern.cat. Reported by Source Text Link, Germán González, Agencia EFE, catalan.news, Alba Gutiérrez Publicado: 04 de julio de 2026, 12:32, Redacción, larazon.es, modernetdigital.cat, Xavi Segura, David Expósito J., THE OBJECTIVE, elmundo.es, vilaweb.cat, Alba Carnicé, El País, Guillem Costa, Barcelona Secreta.