Fast-moving wildfire near Los Gallardos kills at least 12 under extreme heat, Spain
A fast-moving wildfire near Los Gallardos in Almería, southern Spain, killed at least 12 people on July 9 and 10, 2026, injured eight, and left at least 19 people missing as crews worked through steep terrain, road closures, and extreme heat.
Firefighting efforts at Los Gallardos, Almeria, Spain on July 9, 2026. Credit: UME
A fast-moving wildfire near Los Gallardos in Almería, southern Spain, killed at least 12 people on July 9 and 10, injured eight others, and left at least 19 people missing as firefighters worked under extreme heat, strong winds, and difficult terrain.
The fire broke out near Los Gallardos on July 9 and spread rapidly through wooded and semi-arid terrain toward Bédar, where several victims were found after trying to leave the area by car or on foot.
Andalusia emergency chief Antonio Sanz said residents had been instructed to shelter indoors and that the deaths appeared to have occurred when people tried to flee in vehicles. Some of them were reportedly surprised by the rapid spread of the flames after taking a route different from the official evacuation route. Reuters reported four people were being treated in hospital for serious burns, while El País reported eight injured, including four with serious burns and four less seriously injured.
Andalusian regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno reported 19 people missing or unaccounted for, but El País later reported 23 people not located, citing the Government Subdelegation.
Emergency services evacuated about 1 000 residents and closed several roads as the fire spread, including the A-7 motorway and N-340A. The fire’s provisional perimeter was reported at 3 150 ha (7 800 acres), according to Sanz.
Sanz described the incident area as having many ravines and poor topography, with machinery unable to enter parts of the fireground. At least 464 personnel, including 64 UME soldiers, and 124 vehicles were in the operation at one point on July 10.
Antas’ mayor, Pedro Ridao, said the fire was believed to have started when a power cable came loose and fell on dry scrubland, sparking the blaze, which then spread rapidly through wooded areas around Los Gallardos, affecting farmhouses, holiday homes, and cars.
This event occurred during an extreme-heat period in southern Spain. AEMET reported maximum-temperature warnings for parts of Almería on July 9, including 41°C (105.8°F) for Valle del Almanzora y Los Vélez under “Peligro importante” and 38°C (100.4°F) for Nacimiento y Campo de Tabernas.
WMO reported that Spain recorded its hottest June days on record on June 23 and 24, 2026, with many locations above 40°C (104°F), citing AEMET. Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that June 2026 was the hottest June recorded for western Europe and the second-warmest June globally.
References:
1 Eleven killed, 19 missing in one of Spain’s deadliest wildfires – Reuters – July 10, 2026
2 Últimas noticias del incendio forestal de Los Gallardos (Almería), en directo | Al menos 11 muertos y 19 desaparecidos en el incendio más trágico registrado en Andalucía – El Pais – July 10, 2026
3 Copernicus: Record heatwave brings hottest June for western Europe during second-warmest June globally – CopernicusEU – July 9, 2026
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