Twelve die in Spain wildfire as heatwave continues in southern Europe

At least 12 people have died in a wildfire in Los Gallardos in the southeastern province of Almería, according to the Andalusian regional government, while six have been injured.

Some of the victims were found inside vehicles which had been engulfed by the flames. Witnesses say the fire was caused by a downed power line, with the blaze spreading quickly to a nearby wooded area. Authorities have not confirmed the cause of the fire.

A sustained heatwave with temperatures of around 40C (104F) has caused wildfires across southern Europe.

Hundreds of firefighters are battling major incidents in France, Portugal and Spain, with thousands forced to leave 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 regional government of Andalusia said in a statement.

The head of the regional government, Juanma Moreno, called the deaths “a tragedy”. Writing on X after an initial toll of six deaths was announced, he said: “Our hearts are heavy and we are devastated by grief.”

About 150 firefighters were working to quell the fire in a hamlet called Bedar. Among those injured was a person who was taken to hospital with smoke inhalation, and another who suffered burns. Four people were treated at the scene for minor burns and respiratory problems caused by the heavy smoke.

The fire also led to road closures, while 1,000 residents were evacuated, according to emergency services.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in May that Spain would deploy its largest-ever summer wildfire response this year, local media and AFP reported.

Spain’s Military Emergency Unit (UME), which is deployed in major emergencies, said it would join firefighting efforts in Los Gallardos.

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.

Last year, a record 393,000 hectares (971,000 acres) burned in Spain, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), more than six times the Spanish average for between 2006 and 2024.

Climate change is driving up temperatures around the world, and Europe is the fastest warming continent, heating up twice as fast as the global average, according to the Copernicus climate service.

This is causing increased summer heatwaves, greater pressure on Europe’s water supply, and more intense wildfires.

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.

The worsening fire season in the Mediterranean has been linked directly to climate change in a separate study by the World Weather Attribution group at Imperial College London.

Experts warn that more frequent and severe fires across Europe are likely to continue in the future.