Almería wildfire stabilises as evacuees return and death toll confirmed at 12
Firefighters in southern Spain have contained a fast-moving blaze that killed at least 12 people and displaced nearly 1,500 residents, allowing evacuations to reverse while authorities grapple with the complex identification of foreign victims.
Firefighters have stabilised a deadly wildfire in the municipality of Los Gallardos in Spain’s Almería province, allowing roughly 1,000 remaining evacuees to return home. Regional emergency chief Antonio Sanz announced late Saturday that approximately 600 of the nearly 1,500 displaced individuals had already been permitted to go back as crews made significant progress containing the blaze.
The improved operational outlook follows a shift in weather, with calmer winds and higher air humidity enabling a direct assault on the flames. Justice Minister Felix Bolaños noted that the burned area remained stationary at approximately 6,600 hectares after the fire made no further advances on Saturday.
The disaster has caused severe disruption to public life and local infrastructure in the Almería province. The fast-moving fire, which swept through the area at speeds reaching 100 metres per minute, left burned-out vehicles lining roads where residents were previously trapped. The destruction of 6,600 hectares of land and the displacement of nearly 1,500 people will require substantial regional recovery efforts and strain public resources.
Authorities have maintained the official death toll at 12, though the number of missing people remains uncertain pending autopsies and the formal identification of recovered bodies. Officials indicate that many of the victims may be foreign nationals, with reports suggesting four British citizens are among the dead.
This international dimension has delayed the identification process, as gathering DNA samples from relatives has proven difficult while family members travel from other countries. Despite the improving weather conditions, the Civil Guard planned a final sweep of the affected area on Sunday to ensure no victims remain unaccounted for.
Virginia Barcones, secretary-general for Civil Protection, confirmed the extensive search efforts undertaken by law enforcement. "The Civil Guard has entered more than 250 homes to verify that no one was inside, and it will now carry out one final sweep of the area to make a complete check that no one else remains," she told Spain's public broadcaster.
Sanz highlighted the operational progress in a statement issued by the regional government of Andalusia. "The attack carried out today and the stabilisation of much of the perimeter have made it possible to adopt these measures and continue moving, always with the utmost caution, toward a return to normality," he said. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is expected to visit the devastated region on Monday to assess the situation.
