Wildfire in Southern Spain Kills 12, Leaves 23 Missing

A wildfire ignited on Thursday afternoon in the Los Gallardos area of Almería after an electricity pole fell in woodland, quickly spreading across the surrounding hills. Emergency services deployed hundreds of firefighters, military personnel, law-enforcement officers and 30 aircraft to contain the blaze, which has so far killed at least 12 people and left 23 others unaccounted for.

Eyewitnesses described the fire’s rapid expansion. Lucinda Curtois, who was on holiday with her family, said the sky turned from haze to black smoke and flames within 15 minutes, prompting them to flee in a car. Her partner, Riyaz Cheytan, added that they encountered two buses of evacuees on the road before being forced to take an alternate route as the fire approached.

British holidaymaker Peter Chapman recounted noticing a darkening sky and a smell of smoke, comparing the glow to a wartime bombing. He and his wife later woke to ash and smoke in their Mojácar home and reported ongoing concern for missing residents on a local Facebook forum.

Local resident Peter Rowlinson praised authorities’ response but said the experience was “very frightening” and noted that many homes were left covered in ash while community members offered spare rooms and shelter.

Long-time resident Jose Antonio Flores, who tended orange groves in the area, said the fire destroyed hundreds of trees he had cultivated over decades.

Los Gallardos mayor Francisco Miguel Reyes told Cadena SER that the fire was the most devastating the town had faced, describing the impact as comparable to a bomb falling on the community.