Spain Wildfire Kills 12, Forces 1K to Evacuate
Authorities said the blaze spread rapidly in extreme heat and strong winds, with victims trapped while fleeing and rescue teams still searching for missing people.
- On Thursday, July 9, 2026, a fast-moving wildfire ignited near Los Gallardos, Almería, killing at least 12 people and scorching about 3,150 hectares of forest and farmland.
- Investigators suspect a fallen power line sparked the fire, which spread rapidly through dry scrubland as temperatures in parts of Andalusia reached 40°C, creating tinderbox conditions that hampered firefighting efforts.
- Andalusia Emergency Minister Antonio Sanz confirmed most victims were foreign nationals, including four British citizens found in a vehicle. Seven others died fleeing on foot through a dry riverbed Sanz called "a death trap."
- Emergency services evacuated around 1,000 residents and closed the A-7 motorway and N-340A as 150 firefighters and 220 soldiers worked to contain the blaze across rugged, difficult terrain.
- This tragedy ranks among Spain's deadliest wildfires, drawing comparisons to the 1979 Costa Brava disaster that killed 21 people. Experts warn climate change is intensifying wildfire frequency across Europe as record-breaking summer temperatures persist.
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490 Articles
They Died After Ignoring Shelter-in-Place Orders
Hundreds of firefighters backed by helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft struggled on Saturday to contain one of Spain's deadliest wildfires, which has killed at least 12 people. A combination of light winds and high humidity are helping crews, but the sheer size of the fire still poses challenges, said Antonio Sanz,...
VIDEO - A "very rapid" fire broke out on Thursday 9 July near Almeria, in the south of Spain, killing at least 12 people. According to the authorities, some victims trapped by the flames could be foreign citizens.
Beatrice Daily Sun
At least a dozen dead in southern Spain fire
LOS GALLARDOS, Spain — At least 12 people died trying to flee a wildfire in southern Spain and 23 were missing, officials said Friday, as firefighters battled to bring one of the country's deadliest blazes on record under control after…
Forest fire near Almería, even 20 missing. In many surprises in the cars. Yellow on the causes
Twelve people died in a fire in Andalusia. Samples of the victims' bodies were sent to Madrid for identification. Many people were forced to flee their homes, some taking refuge with their pets in a funeral home.
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