Tour de France bans spectators from third stage as fire burns in French Pyrenees

The fire has burned more than 1,600 hectares about 60 kilometres from the stage's finish line in Les Angles, spreading black smoke, which makes it difficult to breathe and limits visibility beyond two metres.

The race route from Granollers in Spain will remain unchanged, however, but the Tour's publicity caravan will not drive along the last 40 kilometres into France.

Only racers and their support vehicles will be allowed, Pierre Regnault de la Mothe, the prefect of the Pyrenees-Orientales department, said Sunday, asking spectators not to go near the route or finish area, to allow security forces to focus on fighting the fire.

"In other words – and I regret having to say this – it will be, in France at least, a stage of the Tour de France without spectators,” he said.

The main road providing access from the coast to the route will be closed.

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme, who spoke with the prefect, said both had "agreed on these measures in view of the exceptional and appalling conditions of the fire,” pointing out the need to protect people in the area affected by the fire.

"The first priority is protecting people, of course."

Some 750 firefighters, 200 vehicles and nine water-bombing helicopters and other aircraft have been deployed to contain the fire that started Saturday near Trevillach, and to prevent its spread toward the Têt valley and the Aspres mountainous region, which are arid and hard to reach.

Extreme heat and wildfires have broken out across Europe, with seven departments in the south of France classed as having a "very high fire risk" on Sunday by Meteo France.

(with newswires)