At least 12 people have died and six others have been injured in a wildfire in Los Gallardos, in Spain’s southeastern province of Almería, the Andalusian regional government said.
Some of the victims were found inside vehicles that had been engulfed by flames. Witnesses said the fire may have started after a power line fell, allowing the blaze to spread rapidly into a nearby wooded area. Authorities, however, have not yet confirmed the cause.
The deadly fire comes as a prolonged heatwave, with temperatures reaching around 40C (104F), fuels wildfires across southern Europe. Hundreds of firefighters are battling major blazes in Spain, France and Portugal, while thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate their homes.
“The number of people who died in the fire in Los Gallardos has risen to 12 after the confirmation of six more deaths,” the Andalusian regional government said in a statement.
Juanma Moreno, head of the Andalusian regional government, described the deaths as “a tragedy”. In a post on X after the initial death toll of six was announced, he said: “Our hearts are heavy and we are devastated by grief.”
Around 150 firefighters were deployed to contain the blaze near the hamlet of Bedar. Among the injured, one person was hospitalised with smoke inhalation and another suffered burns. Four others received treatment at the scene for minor burns and breathing difficulties caused by heavy smoke.
The wildfire also forced authorities to close roads and evacuate around 1,000 residents, emergency services said.
