Four Britons feared among 11 killed in devastating Spain wildfire

Four British nationals are feared to be among 11 people killed in a devastating wildfire in southern Spain, officials have said.

The blaze erupted near Los Gallardos in Almeria province, Andalusia, spreading rapidly through woodland and severely affecting the nearby hamlet of Bedar.

Around 150 firefighters were battling the flames in the early hours, while 19 people remained missing as emergency teams continued search and rescue operations. Authorities described the incident as an “unprecedented tragedy” and Spain’s deadliest wildfire in more than 20 years.

Antonio Sanz Cabello, head of Andalusia’s emergency agency, said it was the worst fire the region had experienced. He urged residents to remain indoors, warning that several deaths occurred when people attempted to flee.

Officials said four victims were found inside a car and were believed to be British because the vehicle had a right-hand-side steering wheel. “Everything seems to indicate that they are from Britain,” Mr Cabello said.

Seven other people died after reportedly abandoning their vehicles and trying to escape on foot.

Andalusia’s regional president Juanma Moreno said 19 people were still missing, with emergency crews continuing efforts to locate them. Four people were hospitalised with severe burns, while another four suffered less serious injuries. Others were treated for minor burns and breathing difficulties caused by smoke.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his condolences to the victims’ families, saying he felt “enormous sadness” over the tragedy. He said emergency services, the military and security forces had been deployed to support firefighting efforts.

The disaster comes as Spain faces another severe wildfire season amid record-breaking temperatures. The country recorded its highest average daily temperature since 1950 in June, with some areas experiencing highs of 42C.

Spain has expanded its wildfire response plans this year, but recent fires have forced road closures and the evacuation of around 1,000 residents.

Last year, wildfires destroyed a record 393,000 hectares of land across Spain — around six times the country’s average between 2006 and 2024. The European Union also experienced its worst wildfire season on record in 2024 since monitoring began in 2006.