Tour de France stage 3rd stage to go ahead despite forest fires: official

The third stage of the Tour de France cycling race will go ahead on Monday in an "adapted" format with no public in France because of forest fires ravaging a region in the south of the country, a top local official said Sunday.

"On French territory, the publicity caravan will not circulate," said Pierre Regnault de la Mothe, the prefect -- the top Paris-appointed official -- of the Eastern Pyrenees department.

"The setup will be limited to the passage of the riders only and the vehicles essential to organising the event."

The prefect added: "The public is asked not to go near the route or to the finish area.

"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."

The fire currently burning in the area has already swept across approximately 1,500 hectares of land and required the mobilisation of some 700 firefighters.

It is located about 70 kilometres (43.5 miles) from Les Angles, where riders late Monday afternoon are due to finish the third stage which is set to start in Granollers in Spain.

The prefect has also ordered the closure of the main road that provides access -- notably from the coast -- to the route of Monday's stage due to the fire.

"The fire has flared up again -- all resources are being mobilised to contain it," added Regnault de la Mothe.