Spain wildfire kills 12 in expat community as 23 remain missing

Madrid,UPDATED: Jul 11, 2026 03:38 IST

At least 12 people were killed and eight injured after a wildfire swept through a remote expat community in southern Spain overnight, authorities said on Friday. Another 23 people were missing as the blaze continued to burn in Almeria province in Andalusia, making it one of the deadliest wildfires in Spain in recent years.

The fire broke out late on Thursday in a semi-arid area near the Sierra de Los Filabres mountains as Spain faced soaring temperatures. Authorities said several victims died while trying to flee in cars or on foot, despite instructions to stay sheltered, while firefighters and soldiers continued efforts to contain the blaze.

Antonio Sanz, head of Andalusia's emergency services, said most of the victims died after ignoring shelter-in-place instructions. Some tried to escape through a dry riverbed that "turned into a death trap", he said. Sanz added that seven people died on foot after abandoning their cars, and that most of the dead were believed to be foreign nationals.

Regional authorities said four victims were believed to be British nationals because the steering wheel of their burned-out car was on the right side, as in British vehicles. Authorities said other unspecified foreign nationals were also believed to be among the dead, and warned that the toll could rise.

Dean Taylor, a resident who divides his time between Spain and the UK, said he escaped the area using back roads. "It was quite terrifying," Taylor told The Associated Press. "It's a very sad day, isn't it? It's devastating, really."

By Friday afternoon, the fire was still burning. Around 150 firefighters and 220 soldiers from Spain's military emergency unit were battling the blaze, which had destroyed more than 3,200 hectares of forest and farmland. Andalusian regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno said the steep and dry terrain was making containment difficult.

"It consists mainly of scrubland and esparto grass," Moreno said. "Everything is extremely dry due to the heat waves, making it the perfect fuel; combined with the wind, it's a ticking time bomb." Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also expressed condolences, writing on X: "Immense sadness and desolation in the face of the terrible consequences of the fire affecting the province of Almeria."

Spain has faced frequent and severe heat waves in recent years, with temperatures often crossing 40C. In June, the country saw several days of record heat, with more than 1,000 excess deaths linked to the conditions. Europe, the world's fastest-warming continent, is again dealing with intense heat, with parts of Western Europe facing their third heat wave in six weeks. Scientists have warned that rising heat and dryness are increasing the risk of wildfires.

France is also facing a very high wildfire risk during its third heat wave of the summer. Large fires in the south have already burned thousands of hectares this week, affected the Tour de France and put pressure on firefighting resources. The biggest fire, in the eastern Pyrenees near the Spanish border, had eased by Friday but had still burned about 5,000 hectares and forced the temporary evacuation of more than 10,000 people from nearby villages.

Spain has seen deadly wildfires before, with more than 393,000 hectares burned in last year's fire season and four deaths reported. Its deadliest wildfire was in 1979, when 21 people died in Lloret de Mar. In neighbouring Portugal, 66 people were killed in a 2017 wildfire in Pedrogao Grande, including 47 who died on a road while trying to flee in their cars. The latest blaze in southern Spain has again shown how quickly fire can turn deadly during extreme heat.

With PTI Inputs

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