MADRID: A rapidly spreading wildfire in southern Spain has claimed at least 11 lives, while 19 people remain unaccounted for, marking one of the country’s deadliest fire disasters in recent years.
The blaze erupted near the municipality of Los Gallardos in the Andalusia region and quickly engulfed the surrounding wooded areas, including the village of Bédar, where the victims were found.
Regional authorities warned that the death toll could rise as emergency crews continue search and rescue operations.
Andalusian regional president Juanma Moreno described the incident as a “tragedy” and said preliminary evidence suggested the fire may have been triggered by the collapse of a power line.
However, he stressed that a full investigation would determine the exact cause and any responsibility for the incident.
Emergency officials said four victims were discovered inside a vehicle apparently trapped by the advancing flames, while seven others were found in nearby areas, seemingly attempting to escape the rapidly spreading fire.
Early indications suggest four of those who died may have been British nationals, although authorities are working to formally establish the identities of all victims. The United Kingdom’s Foreign Office has been informed.
Antonio Sanz, Andalusia’s Minister for the Presidency, Interior, Social Dialogue and Administrative Simplification, described the blaze as the most devastating wildfire the region has experienced.
He noted that many of the victims appeared to be foreign nationals, though official identification is still underway.
At least eight people have also been injured. Four remain in hospital with severe burns, while another four suffered less serious burns and smoke inhalation.
The wildfire forced the evacuation of approximately 1,000 residents as firefighters, supported by hundreds of emergency personnel, battled to contain the flames.
Spain’s Military Emergency Unit (UME) has also been deployed to reinforce firefighting operations. Several roads in the affected area have been closed.
Spain has endured an exceptionally hot summer, with temperatures in parts of the country reaching around 40°C.
Authorities have warned that prolonged heat and dry conditions have significantly increased the risk of wildfires across the Iberian Peninsula.
The latest disaster comes amid a wider wave of wildfires affecting southern Europe, with major blazes also reported in France and Portugal, prompting large-scale evacuations.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had earlier announced the country’s largest-ever summer wildfire response programme in anticipation of an increasingly severe fire season.
Climate scientists have repeatedly warned that rising global temperatures are intensifying heatwaves and creating conditions that allow wildfires to spread more rapidly and become more destructive.
Europe has been identified as the world’s fastest-warming continent, with increasingly frequent periods of extreme heat placing greater strain on ecosystems and emergency services. Spain has experienced a sharp rise in wildfire activity in recent years.
Last year alone, hundreds of thousands of hectares of land were destroyed by fires, reflecting a broader trend of worsening wildfire seasons across the Mediterranean region.
