Thirteen killed in Almería as Spain's 2025 wildfire damage hits record
A devastating wildfire in southern Spain has killed 13 people and destroyed 7,000 hectares, forcing a reliance on volunteer labour while underscoring the mounting economic toll of a record-breaking fire season.
An electrical cable falling on a road sparked a wildfire in Almería’s Sierra Cabrera region, killing 13 people. The victims included seven from the United Kingdom, three from Belgium, and one each from France, the United States, and Spain. The blaze obliterated homes, farms, and public buildings across 7,000 hectares of charred land.
In the hard-hit town of Bédar, the destruction of critical infrastructure is compounding the immediate crisis. Foreign resident Fiona said: "Most neighbours have water, although with problems of low pressure and leaks. In the worst-affected areas, there is no supply because all the pipes are exposed and melted.” Restoring these utilities will require significant private and public investment.
Bédar Town Hall has established a dedicated office to manage the bureaucratic fallout, assisting residents with insurance claims and applications for public aid. Authorities are urging property owners to preserve the condition of their properties and take photographs and videos before initiating any cleaning or repairs, a necessary step to secure payouts from insurance companies.
Formal aid is being supplemented by grassroots efforts organized through WhatsApp, social media, and municipal publications. Foreign residents—who make up more than 40 percent of Bédar's population—are offering free accommodation and skilled trades, ranging from plumbing and electrical work to painting, carpentry, and gardening. Local groups like MACS Mojácar Area Cancer Support are collecting essential goods, while animal welfare organizations including Furia Almería, Asociación Animalista Eleos, and Equinac are rescuing surviving livestock and pets, from horses and donkeys to reptiles and turtles.
The Almería tragedy is part of a broader, economically devastating trend driven by prolonged heatwaves exceeding 40C that create perfect conditions for wildfires. According to the European Forest Fire Information System, wildfires destroyed more than 393,000 hectares in Spain in 2025, the highest figure in the country's recent history. The largest fire of the year, in the Guadalajara province, has alone burned 26,000 hectares and forced the evacuation of 800 people, signalling systemic vulnerabilities in the region's infrastructure and economy.
