Overview
- The blaze broke out late Thursday near Los Gallardos and Bédar in Almería province and has killed at least 12 people while leaving roughly 19 to 23 others unaccounted for.
- Regional authorities say about 3,150 hectares of forest and farmland have burned as hundreds of firefighters, military emergency units and aircraft continue search, rescue and containment work.
- Officials report many victims appear to be foreign nationals and four people found in a charred right‑hand‑drive vehicle are believed to be British, with DNA testing and consular contact under way to identify the dead.
- The cause remains under investigation after witnesses and some officials suggested a fallen power line started the fire but utility Endesa disputed that account after on‑site checks.
- The blaze occurred during an unusually early, intense heatwave that has dried vegetation across southern Europe and is expected to intensify scrutiny of evacuation guidance, local access routes and infrastructure as rescue and probe operations continue.