Story perspectives

Almería Wildfire Kills 13, British Woman; PM Visits

7/13/2026

Summary

Wildfire Kills

A wildfire in Almería province killed at least 13 people and later a 93-year-old British woman, making it one of Spain’s deadliest fires.
The blaze burned about 7,000 hectares and was driven by winds up to 50 km/h.
Authorities evacuated about 1,500 residents, allowed roughly 600 to return on Sunday, and did not issue a wider alert Thursday night.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will visit Los Gallardos on Monday.

Summary

Almería Wildfire Deadliest

The Almería wildfire, intensified by Europe heating faster than the global average, ranks among Spain’s deadliest, exceeding the 20 deaths in the 1984 La Gomera fire and 21 in the 1979 Lloret de Mar blaze.
In France, authorities evacuated over 10,000 people from the Pyrenees and arrested 32 suspects for allegedly starting fires.
Forensic teams in Madrid are matching victims’ DNA with relatives’ samples, a task hampered by difficulty obtaining family specimens.

Summary

Firefighters Contain Blaze

Antonio Sanz said improved weather allows a direct attack on the Los Gallardos fire, ending defensive tactics.
Authorities attribute the fire's ignition to a fallen power line, but regional electricity companies deny any liability.
Twenty-three people remain missing from Bedar, extending search operations alongside fire-containment work.
Hundreds of firefighters continue battling isolated flame pockets across southeastern Spain despite the main fire’s slowdown.

1 of 3

Wildfire Kills

A wildfire in Almería province killed at least 13 people and later a 93-year-old British woman, making it one of Spain’s deadliest fires.
The blaze burned about 7,000 hectares and was driven by winds up to 50 km/h.
Authorities evacuated about 1,500 residents, allowed roughly 600 to return on Sunday, and did not issue a wider alert Thursday night.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will visit Los Gallardos on Monday.

1 / 3