At least 12 killed as wildfire traps fleeing cars in southern Spain; overnight conditions improve for firefighters
Victims died in their vehicles while trying to evacuate against official advice from a blaze that has consumed 6,600 hectares in Andalusia since Thursday. Emergency crews report a more favourable outlook on Saturday morning.
The blaze and its victims
The wildfire, which ignited near Los Gallardos in the Almeria province of Andalusia on Thursday, 9 July, has become the deadliest to hit Spain in more than twenty years. Fanned by winds exceeding 50 km/h and extreme drought, the fire tore through steep, scrubby terrain, consuming approximately 6,600 hectares. Officials have confirmed that at least twelve people lost their lives.
The majority of the victims were foreign nationals; only one was identified as a Spaniard. The area is a popular holiday destination and home to a large community of European expatriates, particularly Britons. The local authorities have stated that the tragedy unfolded when residents, despite door-to-door warnings from mayors and police to shelter in place, attempted to flee in their cars and drove directly into the flames.
The fatal escape attempt
Emergency services chief Antonio Sanz described the circumstances of the deaths, noting that the fatalities appeared to have occurred when people tried to evacuate against official advice. The village of Bedar was particularly affected, but the hamlet itself mostly escaped the fire's path. The victims were instead caught on the roads.
The deaths appeared to have occurred when people decided to try to evacuate in their cars, against the advice of local mayors and police who went door-to-door asking them to stay put.
In addition to the confirmed deaths, regional authorities report that 23 people remain unaccounted for. The first autopsies are pending to provide a more detailed account of the casualties.
Shift in firefighting tactics
For the first time since the fire began, firefighters were able to shift from a purely defensive posture to a direct attack on Saturday, 11 July. Until now, the extreme behaviour of the blaze and adverse weather had permitted only defensive operations. A more favourable night has provided a critical window for offensive action.
The situation improved overnight, and weather conditions are allowing us to face the day with better prospects than yesterday. This is the first day we will be able to mount a direct attack on the fire. Until now, weather conditions and the behaviour of the blaze only allowed us to work defensively.
- Wildfire ignites near Los Gallardos in Almeria province, driven by winds exceeding 50 km/h.
- At least 12 people die while trying to evacuate in their cars from the Bedar area.
- Fire expands to cover 6,600 hectares; authorities report 23 people still missing.
- Antonio Sanz confirms favourable overnight change, allowing firefighters to mount a direct attack for the first time.
The unfolding emergency
The fire's rapid spread was initially unstoppable, moving extremely rapidly through a wooded zone around Los Gallardos. The regional emergency services are coordinating a response that now sees better prospects as the weather has turned more cooperative. The scale of the destruction at 6,600 hectares places this event as the most lethal wildfire in the Andalusia region's recent history.
Next steps in the crisis
With the overnight improvement, emergency crews are now engaging the fire directly, a significant operational change. Meanwhile, the process of identifying the dead begins as autopsies are awaited. The search for the 23 missing persons continues alongside the firefight, with the full extent of the disaster yet to be determined.
