Friday 10 / July / 2026
At least 12 people have been killed in a wildfire in Spain's southern region of Almeria, authorities said on Friday, as a scorching heat wave spreads through the region.
Six people had died in a hamlet of Bedar as of late Thursday evening, with some of the bodies found trapped in vehicles. Six more bodies have been discovered since in Los Gallardos, Andalusia's regional government said in a statement on Friday morning.
Andalusian Minister of the Presidency, Health, and Emergencies Antonio Sanz described the situation as an "unprecedented tragedy."
"There are no words for such pain. This is terrible news, and today the hearts of all Andalusians are in mourning," he said after the new death toll was announced.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his sadness over the deaths in a post on X.
Meanwhile, Sanz urged residents to avoid the impacted areas, not take any risks and choose escape routes after coordinating with emergency services.
"The absolute priority right now is to save lives, and that is what all operational services are working tirelessly to achieve," he said.
Other injured residents have been treated for minor burns and respiratory issues arising from smoke inhalation.
Spain's emergency services combat flames
Authorities have mobilized about 150 personnel from the military emergency unit to rein in the spreading fire.
They are joining about 150 other firefighters backed by five fire trucks, fire suppression technicians, and medical units.
Residents of several neighborhoods, including Almocaizar, Fuente del Albarico, Los Pinos, La Serena, and El Pinar, had been evacuated.
What caused the wildfire?
Earlier, witnesses told authorities that the blaze may have started after a power line fell, igniting the dry vegetation.
Authorities have not confirmed if this was the cause of the fire.
Spain, among other European nations, is facing a heat wave with scorching temperatures triggering orange weather warnings in recent days. That's the second-highest level of alert, which indicates significant danger.
The high temperatures dry out vegetation, increasing the risk of forest fires.
In May, Sanchez had said that Spain would launch its largest-ever wildfire response this year.
Spain recorded its worst wildfire in recent history in 2025, according to the European Forest Fire Information System, burning over 393,000 hectares (971,000 Acres), or about three times the size of Los Angeles, US.
