Firefighters walk inspect burned areas near the village of Azuebar, following a wildfire, in Spain, July 6, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
The death toll from a wildfire in Almeria in southern Spain rose to 12 after six more victims were found, authorities said Friday.
“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.
Witnesses told authorities the blaze may have started after a power line fell, igniting dry vegetation before spreading rapidly through surrounding woodland.
Authorities have not confirmed the cause of the fire.
Roads were closed and residents evacuated as the fire spread, with about 50 people housed in a cultural centre.
Spain’s Military Emergency Unit (UME), which is deployed in major emergencies, was due to join firefighting efforts in the coming hours.
The head of the regional government of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno, expressed his condolences to the families of the six people who died, calling it “a tragedy”.
“Our hearts are heavy and we are devastated by grief,” he wrote on X.
The wildfire comes as Spain suffers a heatwave, with scorching temperatures triggering orange weather warnings — the second highest level — across parts of Andalusia in recent days.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in May that Spain would deploy its largest-ever summer wildfire response this year.
Spain has experienced increasingly frequent and prolonged heatwaves in recent years, with temperatures often exceeding 40C, creating conditions for major wildfires.
Published – July 10, 2026 06:58 am IST
