Wildfire Kills At Least 12 Near Los Gallardos, Leaving 23 Missing In Andalusia

A fast-moving wildfire in southern Spain killed at least 12 people and left 23 others missing as firefighters battled the blaze near Los Gallardos in Andalusia’s Almería province.

“At least 12 dead, 23 missing amid fast-moving wildfire in southern Spain Officials cautioned that the full scale of the disaster is still emerging”

ABC News

Andalusia’s regional leader Juanma Moreno said in a post on X that eight people were injured, including four in serious condition, and he warned that weather conditions remained unfavorable for firefighters.

ABC News

The fire broke out late Thursday in a semi-arid area near the Sierra de Los Filabres mountains, and authorities said it appeared to have been caused by a downed power line.

Antonio Sanz, head of Andalusia’s emergency services, said victims were found in and around the small village of Bédar just outside Los Gallardos, with four found trapped in their car and eight other victims found elsewhere as they tried to flee.

In the BBC’s account, the flames spread in a wooded area around Los Gallardos, Almería, as a sustained heatwave with temperatures of around 40C (104F) contributed to wildfires across Southern Europe.

Antonio Sanz said some victims died after “deciding to find a different path (out) on their own, other than the evacuation one” and wound up walking across a dry riverbed that “turned into a death trap.”

The Irish Times described how residents in rural Andalusian villages around Los Gallardos chose to flee as smoke became choking, and it quoted Sanz saying a decision was taken to use another route that wasn’t recommended for evacuation.

Al Jazeera

In the BBC’s reporting, Sanz said four people were found trapped in their car and were believed to be “of British origin” because the steering wheel was on the right side, while eight other victims were found elsewhere.

The BBC also reported that the UK Foreign Office had contacted Spanish authorities and that Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said consular services were trying to contact “Belgians with whom they have not been able to get in touch.”

As the search continued, the Washington Post said the fire started near Los Gallardos and that local authorities said the victims “appeared” to be foreign nationals, including four British citizens, according to Antonio Sanz.

Authorities said containing the wildfire was difficult because of steep, dry terrain, and AP quoted Juan Manuel Moreno saying, “Everything is extremely dry due to the heat waves, making it the perfect fuel; combined with the wind, it’s a ticking time bomb.”

“Wildfire devastates an expat community in southern Spain, killing at least 12 with 23 missing Wildfire devastates an expat community in southern Spain, killing at least 12 with 23 missing MADRID (AP) — A wildfire roared through a remote expat community in southern Spain overnight, killing at least 12 people as victims tried to flee the flames in cars and on foot, authorities said Friday”

AP News

AP reported that 150 firefighters and 220 soldiers from Spain’s military emergency unit were battling the blaze, which had consumed more than 3,200 hectares (7,900 acres) of forest and farmland.

In the BBC’s account, 1,000 residents were evacuated, and Spain’s Military Emergency Unit (UME) said it deployed 220 soldiers and 70 vehicles to the Almería region while the civil guard added 160 law enforcement personnel involved in evacuation, traffic control, and searching for the origin of the fire.

The Irish Times said the priority Friday morning was to protect residents and described how authorities recommended some residents above Los Gallardos evacuate while later it was considered safer for those in Bedar to stay where they were.

Looking ahead, the BBC warned that the death toll could rise significantly, with Juanma Moreno saying “Our hearts are heavy and we are devastated by grief,” as officials worked to identify victims and keep searching for the missing.