Spain Wildfire Death Toll Reaches 12 As Search Continues

Spanish emergency teams are still fighting dangerous fire pockets in the south-east of the country after a fast-moving blaze around Bedar and the Los Gallardos area of Almeria killed at least 12 people and left 23 others missing.

Authorities in Andalusia say hundreds of firefighters and specialist crews have been deployed as search, rescue and containment work continues around affected communities. The death toll already places the incident among Spain's deadliest wildfires in modern history, with officials warning that the number of casualties may rise as teams reach more isolated homes and rural routes.

At least 12 people have been confirmed dead, including four people believed by Spanish authorities to be Britons. A further 23 people are still missing.

Fire spread rapidly through dry countryside

The blaze broke out on Thursday afternoon in conditions that made containment extremely difficult. A prolonged heatwave has pushed temperatures in parts of southern Europe to around 40C, while dry vegetation and strong winds helped flames move quickly through the countryside around Los Gallardos.

Local officials said the fire accelerated with little warning, cutting off roads and forcing residents and visitors to make urgent decisions about whether to evacuate. Bedar and nearby communities are known to have many foreign residents, including people from Britain and Belgium who live there permanently or keep second homes in the area.

The cause remains contested. Early accounts linked the fire to a fallen power line, but local electricity companies have denied that their infrastructure started the blaze. Investigators are expected to review the circumstances while emergency services focus on the missing and on preventing flare-ups.

No full identities have been released for the dead. Spanish officials and the Foreign Office in London have not named those killed, and families are still waiting for formal confirmation in several cases.

Britons feared among victims

Four people were found dead in a burnt-out car, according to officials. Antonio Sanz, Andalusia's health and emergencies minister, said they were believed to be of British origin, noting that the vehicle had its steering wheel on the right. Authorities have not provided further details about the occupants.

Lucinda Curtois, who had arrived in Spain on Thursday with her partner Riyaz Cheytan and their teenage children for a holiday, described a frightening escape from Bedar as smoke rose over the area.

"It was almost like there was a mushroom cloud of smoke, it was like a bomb had gone off," Curtois said.

Curtois said she feared at least two other UK nationals may have died. She told the BBC that they had left their home on foot, possibly because their road had already been blocked. Her account reflects the confusion many residents faced as flames moved through rural areas where escape routes can be limited.

Officials in Bedar have said some victims did not follow a recommended evacuation route. However, it remains unclear how clearly that advice reached people on the ground, especially foreign residents, visitors and those living outside main town centres.

Sanz said the fire was unusually complex because of the speed at which it developed. He also said most, and possibly all, of the victims could be foreign nationals. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said Belgium's consular services were trying to reach nationals in the area, including people with second homes who had not yet been contacted.

Southern Europe faces another dangerous fire season

The disaster comes during a summer of intense heat across southern Europe. France, Portugal and Spain have all faced wildfire pressure as high temperatures, dry ground and wind combine to create conditions where small fires can become major emergencies within hours.

Spain has suffered deadly wildfires before. In 1984, 20 people died in a fire on La Gomera in the Canary Islands. In 1979, 21 people, including nine children, were killed in a forest fire near Lloret de Mar in north-eastern Spain. The Almeria fire is now being measured against those tragedies as authorities continue to search for missing people.

Weather conditions may offer some relief. The Andalusian branch of Spain's national weather agency, AEMET, said Saturday was expected to bring more favourable conditions, including moderate winds and cooler air. That could help firefighters contain remaining pockets, but officials remain cautious because burnt areas can reignite when wind shifts or temperatures rise.

Climate scientists have repeatedly warned that Europe is becoming more vulnerable to extreme heat and wildfire risk. The Copernicus climate service says Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, heating at about twice the global average. That warming is increasing summer heatwaves, worsening pressure on water supplies and contributing to more intense fires.

• Location: Bedar and the Los Gallardos area of Almeria, south-eastern Spain
• Confirmed deaths: at least 12
• Missing: 23 people
• Nationalities: four victims believed to be Britons, with Belgian authorities also checking on nationals
• Main conditions: heat near 40C, dry ground and strong winds

For families waiting for news, the priority now is identification, consular support and answers about whether evacuation warnings reached everyone in time. For Spain, the fire is another brutal sign of how quickly climate-driven heat can turn a rural emergency into a national tragedy.