Southern Spain wildfire kills 11, mostly foreign tourists

At least 11 people have died and 19 remain missing after a wildfire tore through the Almería province in southern Spain on Thursday afternoon. The regional government of Andalusia initially reported 12 deaths before revising the toll down to 11. Around 50 residents have been evacuated to a local cultural centre, while eight others were injured, four of them seriously.

The disaster strikes directly at southern Spain's tourism-dependent economy. Regional emergency chief Antonio Sanz indicated that many of the victims were foreign nationals. Four were found in a right-hand drive car, suggesting they were British.

Authorities said several victims died in burned vehicles in the town of Bedar while trying to flee the rapidly advancing flames. The precise identities of the deceased are still being confirmed, and the death toll could rise further.

For businesses and local authorities, the tragedy highlights the growing physical vulnerability of the European tourism sector to climate-driven extreme weather. Prolonged heatwaves with temperatures often exceeding 40C have become increasingly common in Spain.

These conditions create the tinder-dry environments that allow fires to spread rapidly. Witnesses reported Thursday's blaze may have started when a power line fell onto dry vegetation, though officials have not confirmed the cause.

The wildfire has already burned through 3,150 hectares of land. In response, Spain has mobilised around 400 emergency professionals on the ground, including 150 personnel from the Military Emergency Unit (UME).

Sanz called the event "an unprecedented tragedy", adding that "the pain is immense." Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his condolences on X, noting his "deep sadness and devastation at the terrible consequences of the fire affecting the province of Almería." He offered his "condolences to the families of those who died in the Los Gallardos forest fire."