At least 12 people have died and 23 remain missing after a fast-moving wildfire tore through southern Spain, trapping residents and visitors as flames spread across dry hillsides in Almería province.
Authorities said many of the victims were foreign nationals who were caught while trying to escape the fire near the village of Bédar, close to Los Gallardos. Four people remain in hospital with serious injuries and hundreds of emergency personnel continue to search for the missing while working to contain the blaze.
The fire broke out on Thursday afternoon in Andalusia during Spain’s second heatwave of the summer. Strong winds and dry vegetation allowed the flames to spread across more than 3,000 hectares within hours.
Juan Manuel Moreno, president of the Andalusian regional government, said the wildfire had become “one of the quickest and most complex we’ve seen.”
He confirmed that 12 people had died and 23 others were still unaccounted for. Moreno urged caution over the missing, saying some people might have reached safety without contacting relatives.
Regional emergency minister Antonio Sanz said the victims were found in and around Bédar, where many residents are foreign nationals. He said several people ignored evacuation instructions and attempted to leave through a dry riverbed rather than using the official escape route.
“Unfortunately the decision to look for another way out through a ravine was a real trap,” Sanz said.
Authorities said four of the victims were found inside a burnt-out vehicle with a right-hand drive steering wheel, leading investigators to believe they were British. The remaining victims were discovered after apparently abandoning their vehicles and attempting to escape on foot.
Formal identification is still under way, with DNA testing required in several cases because of the condition of the bodies.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said all available national resources had been deployed to support the emergency response.
“I reiterate the government’s condolences to the families of those who have died and our solidarity with all residents,” Sánchez wrote on X, urging people to follow evacuation instructions issued by emergency services.
Around 800 people have been evacuated from affected communities, with almost 200 staying in temporary shelters. Emergency officials said eight people were injured, including four with serious burns or smoke inhalation.
More than 400 firefighters, soldiers and emergency personnel have been deployed. Spain’s Military Emergency Unit has sent 220 soldiers and dozens of vehicles, while firefighting aircraft and helicopters continue water-dropping operations over difficult terrain.
Moreno said stronger winds forecast later on Friday remained the main concern for firefighters despite progress in containing the blaze.
Authorities initially suggested the fire was caused by a fallen electricity cable. Witnesses also reported seeing a power line collapse before the fire started.
That explanation has since been challenged. Spanish electricity company Endesa said the cable identified near the origin of the fire was an old private connection that had been disconnected for more than 25 years and was not carrying electricity. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Civil Guard.
Reuters reported that investigators are also examining whether hikers were among those reported missing after rescue teams found walking sticks in woodland affected by the fire.
Spain has experienced repeated heatwaves in recent weeks, leaving forests and scrubland exceptionally dry. According to the European Forest Fire Information System, around 57,000 hectares have burned in Spain so far this year, accounting for about 40 per cent of all land burned across the European Union.
The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs said more than 200 Finns have submitted travel notifications for Andalusia. According to the ministry, no Finnish citizens are known to have been injured in the wildfire.
HT