A fast-moving wildfire fueled by an intense heatwave tore through southern Spain's Almeria province, killing at least 12 people and becoming the deadliest wildfire ever recorded in the Andalusia region, authorities said Friday.
The blaze erupted Thursday in a semi-arid, wooded area near the hamlet of Bedar in the municipality of Los Gallardos, close to the Sierra de los Filabres mountains.
Driven by temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), dry vegetation, low humidity and strong winds, the fire spread with extraordinary speed, overwhelming evacuation efforts and forcing hundreds of residents to flee.
Authorities said many of the victims died while attempting to escape in their vehicles instead of following official emergency instructions to remain sheltered or use designated evacuation routes.
Andalusia's head of emergencies, Antonio Sanz, said the wildfire spread rapidly through the forested hills surrounding Los Gallardos, with Bedar among the hardest-hit communities.
The death toll rose from six late Thursday to 12 early Friday after search teams discovered six more bodies in the burn zone. Several victims were found inside charred vehicles, while others apparently abandoned their cars and tried to escape on foot along unofficial routes.
Sanz said four of the victims appeared to be British nationals because the vehicle they were traveling in had a right-hand drive steering wheel, although authorities had not officially confirmed their identities.
Search teams continued combing the affected area Friday amid concerns that additional people could still be missing.
At least six people were injured, including four who remained hospitalized with serious burns and smoke inhalation.
Sanz called the disaster "the most devastating fire to date in our region" and urged residents to strictly follow official evacuation orders during emergencies.
"Our priority is saving lives," he said, warning that independent evacuation attempts can prove fatal during fast-moving wildfires.
About 150 firefighters, backed by helicopters, ground crews, heavy machinery and aerial firefighting resources, battled the flames throughout the night. Spain's Military Emergencies Unit (UME), which responds to major national disasters, was deployed to reinforce the operation.
Emergency officials closed several roads and evacuated about 1,000 residents from communities threatened by the advancing fire.
The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation.
Authorities said some of the first emergency callers reported that a fallen power line may have ignited dry vegetation before the flames quickly spread into nearby woodland. Officials have not confirmed that account and stressed that the investigation remains ongoing.
Andalusia regional President Juan Manuel Moreno expressed his condolences on X, describing the disaster as one of the darkest days in the region's history.
"Our hearts are heavy and we are devastated by grief," Moreno wrote, offering support to the victims' families and the affected municipalities.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also expressed "enormous sadness and devastation," extending condolences to those who lost loved ones and wishing the injured a speedy recovery.
Sánchez said emergency services, security forces and the Military Emergencies Unit had been fully mobilized to combat the blaze and urged residents to exercise extreme caution as firefighting operations continued.
The disaster is Spain's deadliest wildfire since the 2005 Guadalajara blaze, which killed 11 firefighters after a barbecue sparked a massive forest fire that burned thousands of hectares.
That tragedy prompted sweeping reforms to Spain's wildfire prevention strategies, emergency coordination and response systems.
The Almeria wildfire comes as much of western Europe experiences an exceptionally dangerous wildfire season following prolonged heatwaves in May and June that left forests and grasslands unusually dry.
Earlier this week, a separate wildfire in southern France forced more than 10,000 people to evacuate from dozens of towns and villages near the Spanish border, underscoring the growing wildfire threat across the Mediterranean.
Scientists have repeatedly warned that Europe is warming at more than twice the global average, according to the World Meteorological Organization, increasing the likelihood of longer, more intense heatwaves that create ideal conditions for destructive wildfires.
