At least 12 people have been killed and 23 others are missing in one of Spain's deadliest wildfires on record, which swept through the southern province of Almeria overnight into Friday, July 10, 2026. Regional emergency authorities confirmed that four British nationals and other foreign nationals are among the deceased, as soaring temperatures continue to grip much of the country.
Victims Trapped While Fleeing the Flames
The fire broke out in a hamlet near the Sierra de Los Filabres mountains, a semi-arid area popular with tourists. According to Antonio Sanz, president of Andalusia's emergency services, most victims died while attempting to flee, ignoring shelter-in-place instructions. Seven people died on foot after abandoning their cars, likely searching for an escape route. One group tried to flee via a dry riverbed, which Sanz described as a "death trap."
Andalusia's regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno reported eight people injured and 23 unaccounted for. The fire has consumed more than 3,200 hectares of forest and farmland, with 150 firefighters and 220 soldiers from Spain's military emergency unit battling the blaze. The cause of the fire has not been confirmed, but witnesses reported that a fallen power line sparked the blaze, which spread rapidly into a nearby forest.
Foreign Nationals Among the Dead
Regional emergency authorities said four British nationals and other unspecified foreign nationals appeared to be among the dead. "The consequences have been terrible. Everything seems to indicate that, in the case of the deceased ... we are dealing for the most part, if not entirely, with foreign nationals," Sanz said. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his condolences on X, writing: "Immense sadness and desolation in the face of the terrible consequences of the fire affecting the province of Almeria."
Europe's Heat Wave Crisis
Spain has experienced frequent and severe heat waves in recent years, with temperatures often exceeding 40°C. Wind, high temperatures, and little rainfall help small wildfires grow into unchecked blazes. In June 2026, Spain recorded several days of record-setting heat, with over 1,000 excess deaths attributed to heat. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Parts of Western Europe are facing their third heat wave in six weeks. Globally, 2025 was the third-hottest year on record, bringing several intense heat waves across Europe. France is experiencing the peak of its third heatwave of the summer, with temperatures reaching 40°C across western and central areas and around 37°C in Paris. French authorities have warned of a very high wildfire risk, as large fires in the south have already scorched thousands of hectares this week, disrupted the Tour de France cycling race, and stretched firefighting resources.
The largest wildfire in France, which broke out in the eastern Pyrenees near the Spanish border, has decreased in intensity, authorities said Friday. It burned about 5,000 hectares and forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 people from nearby villages, who have since been allowed to return home. Last month was France's hottest June on record, with deaths surging by nearly a third during the hottest week.
Climate Change and Wildfire Risk
Scientists warn that climate change, caused in part by the burning of fuels like gasoline, oil, and coal, is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, making certain regions more vulnerable to wildfires. Spain and Portugal have faced deadly fires before. Last year's fire season in Spain burned more than 393,000 hectares, according to the European Forest Fire Information System, an area twice as large as London, resulting in four deaths. In 2017, a wildfire in neighbouring Portugal left 66 people dead in Pedrogao Grande, located 200 kilometres northeast of Lisbon. In that blaze, 47 people died on one road while attempting to flee in their cars.
