Wildfire near Almeria stabilized: Authorities confirm 12 deaths so far

Los Gallardos – 12 July 2026: The devastating wildfire in Los Gallardos, southern Spain, in the province of Almeria, was classified as stabilized by Andalusian emergency services on Sunday. According to the regional government, the fire is therefore no longer spreading. Andalusian President Juan Manuel Moreno spoke of relief after several particularly difficult days. However, the blaze has not yet been fully extinguished.

The fire broke out on the evening of Thursday, 9 July, in a wooded area near Los Gallardos. It affected parts of the municipality of Bedar as well as surrounding areas in eastern Andalusia. According to consistent reports, at least 12 people died. The initially reported figure of 13 deaths has not so far been confirmed by the authorities. The identification of the recovered victims and forensic examinations are continuing.

The fire hit several remote settlements and transport routes particularly hard. According to earlier information from regional authorities, some of the victims were found in a hamlet in Bedar; others were apparently in vehicles. This points to the dangers of attempting a rapid escape through smoke, heat and poor visibility. A final reconstruction of the individual deaths is not yet available.

The number of missing people remains uncertain. On Saturday evening, the Andalusian judiciary registered another missing-person report, bringing the number of official reports to eight. France’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that a French woman is among those missing. According to the ministry, the French Embassy in Madrid and the Consulate General in Seville are in contact with Spanish authorities and relatives.

More favorable weather conditions were crucial to stabilizing the fire. Lighter winds and higher humidity made it easier for emergency crews to secure the edges of the fire zone. Nevertheless, the Andalusian wildfire service Infoca and the military emergency unit remained deployed to tackle hot spots and prevent the fire from reigniting.

Evacuation measures are being gradually lifted. At times, around 1,600 residents had to leave their homes. After about 600 people had already been allowed to return, authorities on Sunday also approved the return of the remaining approximately 1,000 evacuees. The authorization is conditional on safety conditions allowing it in the respective locations.

The event already ranks among the most consequential wildfires in Andalusia’s recent history. According to media reports, more than 6,600 hectares of land have been affected. The priorities now are the search for missing people, the forensic identification of the dead and securing the fire area. The responsible authorities did not release any final findings on the cause of the fire on Sunday.