Spanish officials today confirmed 12 deaths on the night of 9/7, including four believed to be British nationals, after a wildfire tore through Los Gallardos in Almeria province, Andalusia, southern Spain. 23 people remain missing, and 8 were injured, 4 seriously.

"The consequences are terrible. All indications suggest that most, if not all, of the deceased are foreign nationals," stated Antonio Sanz, head of Andalusia's emergency services.

Sanz explained that the victims did not comply with a shelter-in-place order, attempting to drive away as the fire rapidly spread. He noted that four suspected British nationals died in a vehicle. 8 others perished after abandoning their cars and trying to escape on foot along a route outside the designated evacuation plan.

Firefighters attempt to control a wildfire in Los Gallardos, Almeria province, Spain on 9/7. *AFP*

The area is a popular holiday destination and home to many foreign residents, particularly French, British, and Belgian nationals.

Witnesses suggested the fire might have started after a power line broke and fell, igniting nearby bushes. However, a spokesperson for the Endesa power company stated that the broken line was completely de-energized. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire.

Sanz described the blaze as a "complex, fast-spreading" outbreak in an area with deep ravines, making it difficult to deploy heavy machinery, and where many homes are nestled within the forests. Approximately 500 firefighters and soldiers are working to control the blaze.

Local authorities reported that 800 people have been evacuated, with nearly 200 housed in temporary shelters. Over 3,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land have been scorched by the fire.

With the current death toll, this has become the deadliest wildfire in Spain since 2005, when 11 firefighters died in a blaze that started from an outdoor barbecue in Guadalajara province.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on social media platform X that he was "deeply saddened and appalled by the terrible consequences of the wildfire." In May, he had announced Spain would deploy its largest-ever summer wildfire response force.

Spain has experienced increasingly frequent and prolonged heatwaves in recent years, with temperatures often exceeding 40 °C, creating favorable conditions for wildfires to ignite. Last year, severe wildfires scorched nearly 400,000 hectares of land in the country.