Spain’s authorities are launching special safety operations during the rare total eclipse to mitigate major wildfire risks.

After a summer of high temperatures across Europe, Spain’s fires have torn through thousands of hectares of land and caused the evacuation of entire communities.

Despite the danger, domestic and international tourists are still planning to travel within the country to experience the full solar eclipse on Wednesday, 12 August, which is visible in totality from parts of northern and eastern Spain.

Spain’s national traffic agency DGT said there could be up to 1.5 million additional car journeys towards the path of totality, prompting regional governments and national bodies mitigate wildfires generated by the travel.

DGT is advising travellers to avoid unnecessary journeys and not to stop on the roadway to observe the eclipse, or anywhere that could impede access for emergency services.

Sara Aagesen, Spain’s environment minister, issued an appeal during a visit to Niebla, the site of Spain’s latest fire: “We are experiencing a season of frequent fires. I urge everyone to exercise the utmost caution on the day of the eclipse.

“Many of these sightings take place in natural areas and forests. We must be careful with dry vegetation and areas where humidity levels are low,” she said per Sur in English.

Spain’s national police, the Civil Guard, has also reminded people that it is forbidden to light fires in restricted areas and that vehicles should not be parked on dry vegetation due to the risk of fire caused by hot components of the vehicle.

“The Civil Guard is facing this total solar eclipse as a nationwide security operation, putting all its operational, human and technological capabilities at the service of the public so that this unique event can take place normally, safely and with respect for the environment,” it said in a statement.

The Civil Guard will be deployed to the more than 660 official observation points to minimise the risks associated with large gatherings, such as fires caused by dropped cigarettes.

"We've had an extremely tough summer in Spain, with yet another series of major forest fires. That's why we must restrict any kind of activity that could generate a spark," Virginia Barcones, secretary-general for Civil Protection and Emergencies at Spain's Interior Ministry, told Reuters.

Authorities within the path of totality, such as Valencia, have put in special restrictions during the astronomical event, including closing all of its natural parks on Wednesday, suspending camping, banning all uses of fire or burning that are usually authorised and prohibiting vehicles from driving through forested areas.

A large proportion of Spain is under weather warning alerts for Wednesday, including regions in the path of totality under orange “significant danger” alerts with maximum temperatures up to 39C, weather agency Aemet says.

The majority of central Spain and some areas of the Balearics are under yellow alerts, while areas of southern Spain are also under orange alerts with maximum temperatures of 40C.

Aemet also says its forest fire danger index is expected to reach very high or extreme levels across much of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands on 12 August.

Read more: Will you see the full solar eclipse? All the countries where it will be visible