12 Dead, 1,400 Evacuated In Spain's Devastating Wildfire, Local Leader Says 'It Spread Like Gunpowder'

Last Updated:July 11, 2026, 12:46 IST

Antonio Sanz, the region's minister for health and emergencies, said at least 1,405 residents had been evacuated from their homes in the tourist-frequented area.

At least 12 people have been killed in one of southern Spain’s worst-ever wildfires, local officials said on Friday, as tragic accounts emerged of victims trying to escape the rapidly spreading blaze.

More than 460 emergency personnel have been deployed to combat the wildfire near the town of Los Gallardos in Costa de Almería, Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said on Friday.

Antonio Sanz, the region’s minister for health and emergencies, said at least 1,405 residents had been evacuated from their homes in the tourist-frequented area.

“The most devastating fire to date in our region," he said.

Grande-Marlaska said at least eight people were injured, including four who sustained serious injuries.

Earlier on Friday, Andalusia regional leader Juanma Moreno said at least 23 people were missing. However, Grande-Marlaska later clarified that the figures were preliminary and that authorities had received three official missing persons reports.

“The ⁠fire spread like gunpowder," Moreno told reporters, calling the blaze “one of the quickest and most complex we’ve seen". Stronger winds were expected later on Friday, he ​added.

Europe has witnessed record-breaking temperatures this summer as heatwaves have struck several countries unusually early in the season. Firefighters are currently battling wildfires in Spain, Portugal and France.

Sanz said some victims tried to flee through a dry riverbed, which ultimately became a deadly “trap." He said four people died inside a vehicle, while seven others lost their lives while attempting to escape the fire on foot.

News world 12 Dead, 1,400 Evacuated In Spain's Devastating Wildfire, Local Leader Says 'It Spread Like Gunpowder'

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