MADRID, Spain – A fast-moving wildfire swept through a remote expatriate community in southern Spain overnight, killing at least 12 people as residents attempted to escape advancing flames, while authorities continued searching Friday for 23 people reported missing.
Eight others were injured in the fire, which erupted late Thursday near the Sierra de Los Filabres mountains in Almeria province, Andalusia regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno said. The blaze remains active and has become one of Spain’s deadliest wildfires in decades, fueled by extreme heat, dry vegetation and strong winds.
Victims died while trying to flee the fire
Emergency officials said many of those who died had ignored instructions to remain sheltered as the wildfire spread rapidly through the area.
Antonio Sanz, head of Andalusia’s emergency services, said several residents attempted to escape in vehicles or on foot. Some fled through a dry riverbed that “turned into a death trap,” while others abandoned their cars before being overtaken by the fire.
Sanz said seven victims died after leaving their vehicles, adding that most of the deceased were believed to be foreign nationals.
Regional authorities said four victims were believed to be British citizens because the burned vehicle in which they were found had a right-hand steering wheel, although formal identification had not been completed. Officials also said other foreign nationals were believed to be among the dead and warned the casualty count could increase.
Dean Taylor, who divides his time between Spain and the United Kingdom, told The Associated Press he narrowly escaped the area using back roads.
“It was quite terrifying,” Taylor said. “It’s a very sad day, isn’t it? It’s devastating, really.”
Firefighters battle difficult conditions
The wildfire was still burning on Friday afternoon as emergency crews worked to contain it across rugged terrain.
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Authorities deployed about 150 firefighters and 220 personnel from Spain’s Military Emergency Unit to combat the blaze, which has burned more than 3,200 hectares (7,900 acres) of forest and farmland.
Moreno said steep hillsides covered with scrubland and esparto grass, combined with prolonged heat and strong winds, had created exceptionally dangerous fire conditions.
“Everything is extremely dry due to the heat waves, making it the perfect fuel; combined with the wind, it’s a ticking time bomb,” Moreno said.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed condolences to the victims and their families, writing on X that he felt “immense sadness and desolation” over the disaster in Almeria province.
Extreme heat intensifies wildfire danger across Europe
The disaster comes as Spain continues to experience recurring periods of extreme heat, with temperatures frequently surpassing 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). High temperatures, dry vegetation and limited rainfall have increased the risk of rapidly spreading wildfires across the country.
Spain recorded several days of record-breaking heat in June, with more than 1,000 excess deaths attributed to extreme temperatures.
According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe is warming at roughly twice the global average rate observed since the 1980s. Parts of Western Europe are experiencing their third major heat wave in six weeks, while 2025 ranked as the world’s third-hottest year on record, contributing to repeated episodes of extreme heat across the continent.
France is also facing elevated wildfire danger. Authorities there warned of a very high fire risk as temperatures climbed to around 40 degrees Celsius in parts of western and central France.
Large fires in southern France have already burned thousands of hectares this week, disrupted the Tour de France and stretched emergency resources. The largest blaze, near the Spanish border in the eastern Pyrenees, had eased by Friday after burning approximately 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres) and forcing the temporary evacuation of more than 10,000 people from nearby communities.
Spain has experienced deadly wildfire disasters before
Spain regularly faces destructive wildfire seasons. According to the European Forest Fire Information System, more than 393,000 hectares (about 1,520 square miles) burned across the country last year, resulting in four deaths.
The country’s deadliest wildfire occurred in 1979, when 21 people died in Lloret de Mar, north of Barcelona.
The tragedy also recalls Portugal’s devastating 2017 wildfire in Pedrogao Grande, where 66 people lost their lives, including 47 who died while attempting to escape by car along a single roadway.
Search operations and firefighting efforts continued Friday as authorities worked to locate the missing and prevent the Almeria wildfire from spreading further.
This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.
Article Topics: Spain | Wildfire | Almeria | Extreme Heat | Europe | Emergency Response | Climate | Public Safety
