Forest fire in Andalusia claims at least twelve lives – authorities speak of an unprecedented tragedy

Andalusian Regional Health Minister Antonio Sanz spoke of an "unprecedented tragedy" and the forest fire "with the most severe consequences to date" in the region. He added: "Der Schmerz ist unermesslich. Andalusien trauert, und unser Herz ist bei Almería und allen Betroffenen." The fire in Almería is considered the most severe in Andalusia to date.

Some of the victims were trapped and burned in their vehicles by the flames, the emergency service explained. "Die Todesfälle ereigneten sich in einem Ortsteil von Bédar; einige der Opfer wurden in ihren Fahrzeugen aufgefunden," it said. Francisco Miguel Reyes, mayor of the affected municipality of Los Gallardos, told state broadcaster RTVE that the fire was of an unprecedented scale. However, the exact number of deaths is not yet known.

Victims and rescue operation

According to information from RTVE, around 150 firefighters fought the flames throughout the night. According to the minister, around 150 firefighters with five fire engines, along with other rescue personnel, are deployed in Los Gallardos. In addition, a special army unit is expected to arrive in the coming hours after the regional authorities triggered an emergency alert. Andalusia's rescue service announced early on Friday that firefighting forces on the ground were being reinforced.

Rescue services stated that they received "mehr als 150 Anrufe von Bürgern, die den Brand meldeten." The incident occurred on a main road, and the flames had spread "rasch auf das Waldgebiet nahe der Straße." Witnesses reported that a fallen cable on a main road may have triggered the fire in the completely dried-out vegetation. However, this cause has not yet been officially confirmed by the authorities.

Evacuations and road closures

More than 1,000 people from several localities had to leave their homes and were taken to emergency tents in neighboring towns such as Mojácar. Residents of several localities were brought to safety as a precaution. A campsite that had so far been spared by the flames was also evacuated, with the rescue service bringing around 400 people, some of them elderly, to safety. Around 50 people were housed in a cultural center.

According to RTVE, a section of the A-7 motorway as well as several roads around the badly affected town of Bédar had to be closed. Around ten other people sustained injuries and had to be taken to hospitals in some cases. As the extent of the disaster remains unclear, Spanish media reports indicate that the death toll could rise further.

Political reactions

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also expressed his "große Trauer und Bestürzung angesichts der schrecklichen Folgen des Brandes" on the platform X and urged the public to exercise caution. Parts of Spain have been on the highest heat alert level for days. Spain, Portugal, and France are currently suffering from extreme heat.

Climate context and European dimension

Heatwaves in May and June have dried out large parts of Western Europe and made them particularly vulnerable to forest fires this year. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Europe is warming more than twice as fast as the global average, making prolonged heat periods increasingly likely. Since the beginning of the year, large-scale fires in Spain have already destroyed more than 50,000 hectares of land, according to data from the European Commission's Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).

A whole series of forest fires is currently raging in Spain. Just at the beginning of the week, a forest fire that had gotten out of control in southern France near the Spanish border forced the evacuation of numerous localities with more than 10,000 people. In Southeastern Europe, Portugal, and Spain, firefighters have been battling numerous blazes for days. In southern France, around 800 firefighters are deployed against the flames.

Outlook on the firefighting efforts

The wind has now subsided, which should now favor the firefighting operations, according to news reports early on Friday. After historic area fires already raged in 2025, the situation has escalated further this summer. Dry weather and high temperatures facilitated the outbreak of the fires.

The Andalusian government has triggered an emergency alert in view of the tragedy and is coordinating relief measures with the affected municipalities. The authorities appealed to the public to follow the instructions of the emergency services and stay away from the fire zones.

This news was broadcast on 10.07.2026 on Deutschlandfunk. Andalusia's regional emergency service announced that it would continue to keep the public updated via the platform X.