Deadly wildfire sweeps southern Spain amid heatwave

A fast-moving wildfire in southern Spain has killed at least 11 people and left 19 others missing, regional officials said, as crews battled flames that tore through rural communities in Andalusia during a severe summer heatwave.

Andalusia’s regional leader, Juanma Moreno, said at least 11 people had died in the blaze around Los Gallardos in Almería province. Al Jazeera reported that regional officials put the toll at at least 12, while Andalusia’s health and emergencies minister, Antonio Sanz, said an earlier figure of 12 was provisional.

The fire broke out Thursday afternoon near the N-340 highway in the municipality of Los Gallardos before strong winds pushed it into the neighboring municipality of Bédar. The bodies of the victims were found in and around the small village of Bédar, just outside Los Gallardos.

Emergency services found several victims trapped in vehicles as they tried to flee a rural hamlet, local authorities said. Sanz said four people were found trapped in a car and were believed to be “of British origin,” noting that the vehicle had a steering wheel on the right. Other victims were found elsewhere, apparently trying to escape the flames. The BBC said it had contacted the UK Foreign Office.

Sanz said the fire had been complex and rapid, and that most or even all of those killed may have been foreign nationals. He described it as “the most devastating fire to date in our region” and “an unprecedented tragedy.”

“The pain is immense. Andalusia is in mourning, and our hearts go out to Almería and all those affected,” Sanz said.

Moreno warned that the death toll could rise significantly. “Our hearts are heavy and we are devastated by grief,” he posted on social media. Speaking to Cadena Ser radio, Moreno said 19 people remained unaccounted for, Reuters reported through Al Jazeera.

Six people were injured, according to regional authorities. They included a woman with severe burns and another person hospitalized for smoke inhalation. Four others were treated at the scene for minor burns and respiratory problems caused by heavy smoke.

The fire forced road closures and evacuations. Emergency services said 1,000 residents were evacuated, while Al Jazeera reported that about 50 evacuees were being sheltered at a local cultural center. Heavy smoke forced regional traffic authorities to close two major highways in the area.

More than 300 emergency personnel were fighting the blaze, including 150 specialists from Spain’s Military Emergency Unit, known as UME. The unit, deployed in major emergencies, said it would join firefighting efforts in Los Gallardos.

Authorities have not formally established the cause. Moreno said the fire appeared to have been caused by a downed power line, and Al Jazeera said local media reports indicated a downed line may have ignited dry brush. Investigations are continuing.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said earlier this year that Spain planned to deploy its largest-ever summer wildfire response. After the Andalusia fire, he expressed “enormous sadness and devastation” on social media, said emergency services and security forces had been mobilized alongside UME, urged residents to exercise caution, and offered condolences to the families of those killed.

The disaster comes as southern Europe faces intense heat and widespread wildfire risk. Spain has recorded temperatures around 40C, with forecasts as high as 42C in some areas. In June, Spain reached its highest daily average temperature since 1950 and recorded its hottest June days.

Wildfires have also hit France and Portugal this summer, forcing thousands from their homes. Last year, 393,000 hectares burned in Spain, according to the European Forest Fire Information System, more than six times the Spanish average for 2006 to 2024. Across the European Union, more than one million hectares burned last year, the worst wildfire season since records began in 2006.