A devastating wildfire in the municipality of Los Gallardos, Almería, has claimed at least 12 lives, injured eight people, and left 23 others unaccounted for, according to the latest update from the regional government of Andalusia. The fire, which began on Thursday, has been described by authorities as the most tragic forest fire ever recorded in the region, with officials warning that the situation remains critical as strong winds and difficult terrain continue to hamper containment efforts.
Antonio Sanz, the regional minister for the Presidency, Health, and Emergencies, confirmed the casualty figures in a statement, calling the event a «tragedy without precedent». He expressed deep sorrow on behalf of the Andalusian government, saying, «The pain is immense. Andalusia is in mourning, and our hearts are with Almería and all those affected.» The fire has been raised to emergency phase, operational situation 2, reflecting the severity of the threat to populated areas and infrastructure.
According to the Andalusian Firefighting Service (Infoca), 150 ground personnel supported by five water tanker trucks are actively battling the flames. In addition, the State has deployed 414 personnel, 124 vehicles, four aircraft, three helicopters, and two drones from the Military Emergency Unit (UME), the Ministry for Ecological Transition, the Civil Guard, and the national Civil Protection agency. Virginia Barcones, the secretary general of Civil Protection, stated that «all material and professional capacities of the Government of Spain are at the disposal to end this devastating fire as soon as possible, despite the very adverse meteorological conditions.»
The fire, which started in a roadside ditch, is believed to have been ignited by a broken cable. Juanma Moreno, the president of the Andalusian regional government, said that while there is «some information that it is a private connection, we do not have confirmation.» He described the blaze as «very complicated» and noted that it «spread like gunpowder across a very rugged and difficult area.» The flames have already spread beyond Los Gallardos into the neighboring municipality of Bédar and are advancing toward Antas, forcing evacuations and threatening more communities.
Of the 12 confirmed fatalities, six have been transferred to the Institute of Legal Medicine in Almería, where four autopsies were conducted on Friday morning. The victims are all foreign nationals, with authorities identifying them as being from the United Kingdom and Belgium. Firefighters and Civil Guard agents are combing the scorched area and inspecting damaged homes to rule out additional victims. The search operation is ongoing, with teams working to locate the 23 people still missing.
In a show of solidarity, a minute of silence was observed on Friday morning at the main entrance of the Provincial Council of Almería. The ceremony was attended by the vice president of the council, Ángel Escobar; the mayor of Almería, María del Mar Vázquez; along with members of provincial and municipal corporations, representatives from other administrations, and institutional workers. The gathering honored the deceased, the injured, and all those affected by the tragedy.
Juanma Moreno emphasized that the immediate priority is to «prevent new victims, for which we must always follow the recommendations of the authorities. The second is to protect the residents in areas near the fire. And finally, to extinguish the fire as soon as possible.» He reiterated that the fire is «a major tragedy» and that the regional government is fully committed to supporting the affected communities and ensuring a coordinated response.
The wildfire in Los Gallardos has become the deadliest in Andalusia's history, surpassing previous records in terms of human loss. The combination of extreme heat, dry vegetation, and strong winds has created conditions that have made the fire particularly difficult to control. Emergency services continue to work around the clock, and authorities have urged residents in the affected areas to remain vigilant and follow evacuation orders. The investigation into the exact cause of the fire is ongoing, with officials focusing on the broken cable as a likely trigger.
