Wikipedia

2026 Almería wildfire

On 9 July 2026, a deadly wildfire broke out near Los Gallardos, Almería Province, Andalusia, Spain, burning a wooded area, multiple vehicles, and a hamlet. Thirteen people died, nine others were injured, and twenty-three were reported missing. The wildfire is the deadliest in Andalusia and the third deadliest in Spanish history.[1][2][3]

2026 Almería wildfire
Part of the 2026 wildfire season
FIRMS imagery of the fire as of 11 July
Date
  • 9 July 2026 – present
LocationLos Gallardos, Almería Province, Andalusia, Spain
Statistics
StatusOngoing wildfire
Burned area7,000 ha (17,000 acres)
Impacts
Deaths13
Injuries9
Missing people23
Evacuated1,600+
Structures destroyedMultiple
Ignition
CauseUnder investigation

Background

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The fire occurred amid deadly heatwaves across Europe that helped start wildfires in Spain.[4] The country recorded 1,028 heat-related fatalities in 2026.[5]

Fire

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9 July

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Although authorities have not confirmed the cause, witnesses reported that a downed power line sparked a problem that quickly spread to a nearby wooded area.[6] Electricity provider Endesa denied the claims, saying that power line was inactive and did not belong to them.[7] 150 firefighters, 124 vehicles, 12 fire engines, two water tankers, 30 aircraft, fire suppresion technicians and medical units were dispatched.[8][9][10] Strong winds and extreme heat fueled the wildfire, causing it to spread rapidly and hampering suppression efforts.[11][12]

10 July

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In the early hours of the morning, authorities confirmed the discovery of twelve dead and several injured, and reported that 23 people remained missing.[13] At 5:30 a.m., the Military Emergencies Unit (UME) joined the firefighting operation with 220 personnel from the Second Emergency Intervention Battalion (BIEM II), who carried out tasks such as sealing the perimeter, extinguishing the fire, digging trenches and operating heavy machinery. INFOCA Plan personnel carried out two controlled burns, one in the northern area, between the towns of Los Raimundos and La Fuente Abad, and another near the Los Gallardos campsite, with the aim of slowing the fire's advance.[14]

At 11:00 a.m., the people staying in a tourist resort on the outskirts of the town of Alfaix were evacuated as a precaution.[14]

Throughout the day, authorities reported that the fire had burned over 5,000 ha (12,000 acres) and remained active, with a large firefighting operation deployed on the ground.[15][16][17]

11 July

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The Andalusian Minister of Emergencies, Antonio Sanz, said that the weak winds and 50% relative humidity opened a "window of opportunity" for firefighters to transition from containment efforts to a direct attack on the flames.[18] Officials said the fire showed signs of easing.[19] The fire grew to at least 6,600 ha (16,000 acres).[20]

12 July

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Firefighting efforts continued overnight to take advantage of improved weather conditions, characterized by light winds. During the day, several flare-ups were extinguished and the perimeter was secured using drones. That same day, the Andalusian Regional Government declared the fire stabilized, although firefighting and monitoring continued to prevent further flare-ups.[21][22] The fire still remained active however, with it burning around 7,000 ha (17,000 acres) by the end of the day.[23]

13 July

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The fire remained stabilized and its perimeter did not expand overnight. Operational efforts focused on surveillance, perimeter consolidation and extinguishing hotspots to prevent flare-ups.[24]

During the morning, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the areas affected by the fire along with the Third Vice-President and Minister for Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen. At the Advanced Command Post, he held meetings with those in charge of the operation and with representatives of the administrations involved.[24][25][26]

Impact

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The fire led to road closures and the evacuation of more than 1,600 residents.[27][28] Two people were arrested by the Civil Guard on 11 July for refusing to leave the area evacuated due to the fire.[29] On 12 July, around 600 people that evacuated from the fire zone returned home, with the remaining 1,000 evacuees being able to in stages as the fire stabilises.[27]

Victims

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Deaths by citizenship[30]
Citizenship Deaths
 United Kingdom 2
 Belgium 1
 France 1
 Spain 1
 United States 1
Unknown 7
Total 13

The Andalusian regional government initially said six people were killed, but later increased the number to 12. Four people died in a car while eight others died on foot. All but one of the victims were foreign nationals.[31][32][33] Eight people were injured when the fire spread to Bédar. Four seriously injured people were airlifted to the Virgen del Rocío Hospital in Seville, while four people were treated at the scene for minor injuries.[3][6] Regional authorities said on 12 July that a 93-year-old British woman injured in the fire had succumbed to her injuries in hospital, bringing the death toll to 13.[27] Two firefighters were injured on 12 July after their truck suffered an accident in Bédar.[22] A further 23 people were reported missing, including a Frenchwoman.[34][35] Many scattered houses could not be reached due to the out-of-control fire, and Civil Guard officers checked affected houses for more victims.[3]

Reactions

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The Andalusian Regional Government decreed three days of official mourning for the victims of the fire, with flags being flown at half-mast.[36] A moment of silence was held on 10 July at the main entrance of the Almería Provincial Council building.[37] The U.S. Embassy in Madrid and U.S. Consulate General in Barcelona confirmed they are monitoring the wildfire and urged American citizens to be cautious in threatened areas.[38] Regional emergency chief Antonio Sanz called the deaths "an unprecedented tragedy" and said the pain was "immense".[39] German chancellor Friedrich Merz offered condolences to the victims of the fire.[40] The President of the Regional Government of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno, thanked the firefighting teams.[41] Spanish trade union General Confederation of Labour (CGT) expressed condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery for the injured.[42] At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a minute of silence was observed before the match between Spain and Belgium in the quarterfinals.[43]

References

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  1. ↑ "El incendio forestal de Los Gallardos ya es el tercero con más muertos en la historia de España" [The Los Gallardos forest fire is now the third deadliest in Spanish history] (in Spanish). La Voz de Galicia. 2026-07-10. Archived from the original on 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  2. ↑ "One of Spain's deadliest wildfires kills at least 12 people, with 23 others missing". NPR. 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  3. 1 2 3 "Al menos doce personas mueren en el incendio forestal de Los Gallardos (Almería) al tratar de huir de las llamas" [At least twelve people die in the Los Gallardos forest fire (Almería) while trying to escape the flames] (in Spanish). El Mundo. 2026-07-10. Archived from the original on 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  4. ↑ "Wildfire kills 12 in southern Spain as victims found in vehicles". France 24. 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  5. ↑ "Spain records more than 1,000 excess deaths due to June heatwave". France24. 1 July 2026. Archived from the original on 1 July 2026. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Twelve die in wildfire in Spain as heatwave continues in southern Europe". BBC News. 2026-07-09. Archived from the original on 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-09.
  7. ↑ "Electricity provider disputes that fire was caused by fallen power line". BBC News. 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  8. ↑ "Extensive resources deployed to contain wildfire". Sky News. 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  9. ↑ "Spain battles deadly wildfire amid heat wave". Deutsche Welle. 2026-07-09. Archived from the original on 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-09.
  10. ↑ "Wildfires in southern Spain kill 12 amid soaring temperatures". The Guardian. 2026-07-09. Retrieved 2026-07-09.
  11. ↑ "'The worst possible combination': what has caused Spain's deadly wildfires?". The Guardian. 10 July 2026.
  12. ↑ "Victims of Spanish wildfires killed while trying to escape along river bed 'trap'". CNN. 10 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "Incendio forestal de Los Gallardos (Almería) - 10 de julio de 2026 | El incendio de Almería se cobra 12 vidas y obliga a evacuar a más de 1.400 personas". El País (in Spanish). 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  14. 1 2 "Las horas más críticas del infierno en Bédar, una isla en el desierto almeriense". El País (in Spanish). 2026-07-11. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  15. ↑ "Últimas noticias del incendio forestal de Los Gallardos (Almería), en directo El incendio de Almería se cobra 12 vidas y obliga a evacuar a más de 1.400 personas" [Latest news on the Los Gallardos (Almería) forest fire, live The Almería fire claims 12 lives and forces the evacuation of more than 1,400 people] (in Spanish). El País. 2026-07-10. Archived from the original on 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  16. ↑ "Al menos 12 muertos en el incendio de Los Gallardos en Almería". ElDiario.es (in Spanish). 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  17. ↑ "El incendio de Los Gallardos (Almería), visto desde el espacio: hay 3.200 hectáreas calcinadas". Cadena SER (in European Spanish). 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  18. ↑ "Incendios en España, en directo: Última hora en Los Gallardos, con 6.600 hectáreas arrasadas: "Tenemos una ventana de oportunidad hasta las 16.00 horas"" [Wildfires in Spain, live: Latest news from Los Gallardos, with 6,600 hectares burned: 'We have a window of opportunity until 4:00 PM'] (in Spanish). 20 minutos. 2026-07-11. Archived from the original on 2026-07-11. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  19. ↑ "Spain: Wildfires that killed 12 begin to ease (officials)". France 24. 2026-07-11. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  20. ↑ "La Junta andaluza eleva a 6.600 las hectáreas quemadas por el incendio forestal de Los Gallardos" [The Andalusian government raises the number of hectares burned by the Los Gallardos forest fire to 6,600] (in Spanish). RTVE. 2026-07-11. Archived from the original on 2026-07-11. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  21. ↑ Ortega, Patricia (2026-07-12). "Moreno anuncia que el incendio de Los Gallardos está estabilizado y ha quemado 7.000 hectáreas". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  22. 1 2 "Última hora del incendio de Almería, en directo: el fuego de Los Gallardos frena su avance tras calcinar 6.600 hectáreas" (in Spanish). ElDiario.es. 2026-07-12. Archived from the original on 2026-07-12. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  23. ↑ "Badly burned British couple rescued from ravine during Spain wildfires, reports say". BBC News. 2026-07-12. Archived from the original on 2026-07-12. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  24. 1 2 "Últimas noticias del incendio forestal de Los Gallardos (Almería), en directo | El incendio de Los Gallardos se mantiene estable con un perímetro sin actividad". El País (in Spanish). 2026-07-13. Retrieved 2026-07-13.
  25. ↑ "Sánchez llega al Puesto de Mando Avanzado para seguir incendio de Los Gallardos (Almería) - EFE". EFE (in Spanish). 2026-07-13. Retrieved 2026-07-13.
  26. ↑ "Sánchez y Moreno agradecen la labor de las instituciones en el fuego de Los Gallardos: "La emergencia climática mata"". RTVE (in Spanish). 2026-07-13. Retrieved 2026-07-13.
  27. 1 2 3 "Evacuees allowed to return home after deadly wildfire in Spain stabilises". Radio France Internationale. 2026-07-12. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  28. ↑ "Al menos 12 muertos y 23 desaparecidos en el incendio más letal de las últimas décadas en España en medio de la ola de calor" [At least 12 dead and 23 missing in the deadliest fire in decades in Spain amid the heat wave] (in Spanish). BBC Mundo. 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  29. ↑ "Incendio forestal en Los Gallardos (Almería), última hora en directo: cifra de muertos, heridos, desaparecidos y causa del fuego" [Forest fire in Los Gallardos (Almería), latest news live: death toll, injured, missing and cause of the fire] (in Spanish). El Periódico. 2026-07-11. Archived from the original on 2026-07-11. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  30. ↑ "Identificados seis fallecidos del incendio de Los Gallardos: un español y cinco extranjeros". Canal Sur (in Spanish). 13 July 2026.
  31. ↑ "Spanish wildfire victims burned in cars as roads turned into death traps". Reuters. 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  32. ↑ "Twelve killed, 23 missing in one of Spain's deadliest wildfires". Reuters. 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  33. ↑ "Victims of Spanish wildfires killed while trying to escape along river bed 'trap'". CNN. 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  34. ↑ "Twelve confirmed dead as firefighters continue to tackle wildfire". BBC News. 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  35. ↑ "Spain wildfire: Evacuees allowed to return home after blaze stabilizes". CP24. 2026-07-12. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  36. ↑ "Three days of official mourning". Sky News. 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  37. ↑ "Minuto de silencio en memoria de las víctimas del incendio forestal de Los Gallardos" [Minute of silence in memory of the victims of the Los Gallardos forest fire] (in Spanish). Almería Provincial Council Blog. 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  38. ↑ "Message for U.S. Citizens: Wildfires in Spain (July 10, 2026)". U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Spain and Andorra. 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  39. ↑ "Spanish wildfire death toll rises as heatwave continues to wreak havoc". ABC News. 2026-07-09. Archived from the original on 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-09.
  40. ↑ "Incendio en Los Gallardos (Almería), en directo: última hora de los 12 muertos, los 23 no localizados y del desalojo de 1.405 personas" [Fire in Los Gallardos (Almería), live: latest news on the 12 dead, the 23 missing and the evacuation of 1,405 people]. La Razón. 2026-07-11. Archived from the original on 2026-07-11. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  41. ↑ "Los Gallardos entra en la historia negra de los incendios forestales de España" [Los Gallardos enters the dark history of forest fires in Spain] (in Spanish). Euronews. 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  42. ↑ "CGT EMA INFOCA Andalucía expresa su más profundo pesar por la tragedia del incendio forestal de 'Los Gallardos' (Almería)" [CGT EMA INFOCA Andalucía expresses its deepest sorrow for the tragedy of the forest fire in 'Los Gallardos' (Almería).] (in Spanish). General Confederation of Labour. 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  43. ↑ "FIFA World Cup 2026: Spain, Belgium observe minute silence for Almeria wildfire victims ahead of quarterfinal clash". ANI News. 2026-07-11. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
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