Victims of the blaze include British and other foreign nationals, possibly tourists, authorities have said. The Spanish royal family and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed their deep sorrow over the loss of life – Image: Plan Infoca/Europapress/dpa/picture alliance
A massive wildfire devastates southern Spain, leaving death and destruction behind. Many people have been killed, others are still missing. Many of the victims are believed to be tourists trying to escape the flames.
At least 12 people have been killed and 19 remain missing after a fast-moving wildfire swept through Spain’s southern region of Andalusia, authorities said Friday. The blaze tore through the tourist area around Los Gallardos and Bedar in Almería province, forcing the evacuation of more than 1,000 residents and visitors.
Authorities believe many of the victims were foreign nationals. Four bodies were found inside a right-hand-drive vehicle, suggesting the victims may have been British, although formal identification is still underway. Hundreds of firefighters, soldiers and emergency responders continue battling the flames as the search for missing people goes on.
The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation, but officials say it may have started after a power line fell onto dry vegetation. Spain has been hit by an intense heat wave, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104°F), creating ideal conditions for rapidly spreading wildfires.
Spain recorded its worst wildfire season on record in 2025, when more than 393,000 hectares (971,000 acres) burned. Experts warn that increasingly frequent heat waves and prolonged drought are making such disasters more likely across southern Europe.
What do we know about the wildfire?
The RTVE broadcaster described it as the “deadliest wildfire of the 21st century” in the popular holiday destination.
Andalusian Minister of the Presidency, Health, and Emergencies Antonio Sanz said that formal identification of the victims was still underway but “everything appears to indicate that the majority, or possibly all, of those who died were foreigners.” That includes four bodies found in a vehicle which was a right-hand drive, suggesting the victims were British nationals.
“There are no words for such grief,” he said earlier on Friday, calling it an “unprecedented tragedy.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and the King and Queen expressed their grief over lives lost in posts 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 were treated for various degrees of burns and respiratory issues arising from smoke inhalation.
Hundreds of firefighters and military personnel have been deployed to the region to battle the flames – Image: Chema Artero/REUTERS
Spain’s emergency services combat flames
Authorities have mobilized about 150 firefighters and 220 soldiers from Spain’s military emergency unit to rein in the spreading fire.
The firefighters are 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.
DW.com/NAN 11-07-26
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