Southern Spain wildfire kills at least 12 people in Almería province

Southern Spain wildfire kills at least 12 people in Almería province

At least 12 people died in a forest fire that broke out on Thursday, in the Los Gallardos municipality of Almería province, located in the southern Andalusia region of Spain. The Andalusian regional government confirmed the death toll after an initial report of six deaths was updated with the confirmation of six more.

Emergency services located victims in a hamlet within the neighboring municipality of Bedar. Some of the deceased were discovered inside vehicles that had been engulfed by flames.

Antonio Sanz, Andalusia’s acting minister for Health, the Presidency and Emergencies, referred to the blaze as an unprecedented tragedy and described it as the fire with the greatest consequences to date for the region.

The regional government of Andalusia issued a statement regarding the rising casualties, while Juanma Moreno, the head of the regional government, called the deaths a tragedy. Writing on X, Moreno stated:

"Our hearts are heavy and we are devastated by grief."

Juanma Moreno, head of the regional government, via X

Six people were injured in the Los Gallardos fire. One person was hospitalized for smoke inhalation, and another was treated for burns. Four others received treatment at the scene for respiratory problems and minor burns resulting from heavy smoke.

Authorities responded by raising the region’s wildfire response plan to the emergency phase. Approximately 150 firefighters worked to quell the fire in the hamlet of Bedar, and the Military Emergency Unit (UME) deployed 150 personnel to support the efforts. The blaze and accompanying smoke forced the closure of two major roads in the province.

Witnesses claimed a downed power line caused the fire, which then spread rapidly into a wooded area, though authorities have not confirmed this cause.

The disaster occurred amid a broader regional crisis. Another forest fire broke out on the afternoon of Thursday, in the southern province of Malaga. Nearly 180 personnel are working to stabilize that blaze, and around 1,000 people were evacuated as a precaution.

The fires come during a sustained heatwave across southern Europe with temperatures around 40C. In some parts of Spain, forecasts reached as high as 42C. These conditions have triggered major fire incidents in Portugal, France, and Spain, forcing thousands of people from their homes. Red heat alerts have been issued in Spain, Italy, and France.

Spain has faced increasing temperature extremes. In June, the country recorded its highest daily average since 1950 and saw some of its highest temperatures ever for that month. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated in May that Spain would deploy its largest-ever summer wildfire response this year.

The current situation follows a period of record-breaking fire activity. According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), 393,000 hectares burned in Spain last year, a figure more than six times the Spanish average between 2006 and 2024. Across the European Union, last year was the worst wildfire season since records began in 2006, with more than one million hectares burning.

Climate data provides a broader context for these events. The Copernicus climate service reports that Europe is the fastest warming continent, heating twice as fast as the global average. A study by the World Weather Attribution group at Imperial College London has linked the worsening Mediterranean fire season directly to climate change. Experts warn that severe and frequent fires across Europe are likely to continue, placing increased pressure on water supplies and intensifying summer heatwaves.