Wildfire in southern Spain kills 11, four feared British

A wildfire that began near Los Gallardos in Almeria province, Andalusia, killed 11 people and left 19 others unaccounted for, officials said. The fire started in a wooded area and spread rapidly into the hamlet of Bedar. Roughly 150 firefighters worked through the night to contain the blaze.

Four of the dead were found in a car with the steering wheel on the right-hand side, leading officials to conclude they were British. Seven others died after leaving their vehicles and trying to escape on foot.

Casualties and response Antonio Sanz Cabello, president of the Andalusian emergency agency, said the fire was the most devastating in the region to date. He said authorities had advised residents to remain indoors and that deaths occurred when people attempted to flee.

Four people were hospitalized with serious burns and four others sustained less serious injuries. Additional patients were treated for minor burns and smoke inhalation. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed condolences to the families of the victims and said the military, emergency services, and security forces had been mobilized.

Background conditions Spain recorded its highest daily average temperature since 1950 in June. Last year the country experienced wildfires that burned a record 393,000 hectares, six times the average from 2006 to 2024.