A devastating wildfire in Los Gallardos, located in Spain’s southeastern Almería province, has claimed the lives of at least 12 people. The Andalusian regional government confirmed the rising death toll, noting that six individuals were injured in the incident. Some of the victims were discovered inside vehicles that had been trapped by the encroaching flames.
While witnesses have suggested that a downed power line may have sparked the fire, which then spread rapidly into a nearby wooded area, authorities have not yet officially confirmed the cause. Approximately 150 firefighters were deployed to combat the blaze in the hamlet of Bedar. Among the injured, one person was hospitalized for smoke inhalation and another for burns, while four others received treatment at the scene for minor burns and respiratory issues caused by heavy smoke.
Emergency services reported that the wildfire necessitated road closures and the evacuation of 1,000 residents. The regional government’s leader, Juanma Moreno, described the event as a tragedy, stating on X that the administration is devastated by the loss of life. The Military Emergency Unit (UME), which typically handles major national crises, has been mobilized to assist in the firefighting efforts.
This disaster occurs amid a sustained heatwave across southern Europe, with temperatures reaching approximately 40C (104F). Similar incidents are currently being battled by hundreds of firefighters in France, Portugal, and Spain, forcing thousands from their homes. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had previously announced that Spain would implement its largest-ever summer wildfire response this year.
Data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) shows that 393,000 hectares burned in Spain last year, a figure more than six times the average recorded between 2006 and 2024. Last year was the European Union’s worst wildfire season since records began in 2006, with more than a record one million hectares – equivalent to about half the land area of Wales – burning across the EU. Climate experts and the Copernicus climate service note that Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average, leading to more intense heatwaves and severe wildfire seasons. A study by the World Weather Attribution group at Imperial College London has linked the worsening Mediterranean fire season directly to climate change, with experts warning that such severe events are likely to become more frequent.
In June, Spain reached its highest daily average since 1950, and had days where it recorded its highest ever temperatures for that month. Temperatures as high as 42C (107.6F) were forecast in some parts of the country.
This is causing increased summer heatwaves, greater pressure on Europe's water supply, and more intense wildfires.
