Wildfire in Southern Spain Kills 12 Amid Heatwave

A wildfire that ripped through a hamlet in southern Spain has killed 12 people, authorities say, as a heatwave stifles swathes of the country.

Some of the dead in Bedar, Almeria province, were found in vehicles, the regional government said in a statement, revising an earlier toll of six dead.

About 150 firefighters backed by five fire trucks battled the blaze, which broke out as temperatures neared 40 degrees Celsius.

The fire injured at least six people, including a woman who suffered burns and another person with smoke inhalation. They were taken to hospital.

Authorities raised the death toll to 12 "after the confirmation of six more deaths in the area of the fire," the Andalusia government said in a statement.

Regional emergency chief Antonio Sanz called the deaths "an unprecedented tragedy" and said the the pain was "immense".

Witnesses told authorities that the blaze may have started after a powerline fell, igniting dry vegetation before spreading rapidly through surrounding woodland.

Authorities have not confirmed the cause of the fire.

Roads were closed and residents evacuated as the inferno spread. About 50 people were housed in a cultural centre.

Spain's Military Emergencies Unit (UME), which is deployed in major emergencies, was expected to join the firefighting efforts.

Frequent heatwaves

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on X that he was "deeply saddened and devastated by the terrible consequences of the wildfire".

He said in May that Spain would deploy its largest-ever summer wildfire response this year.

The head of the government of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno, called the blaze "a tragedy".

"Our hearts are heavy and we are devastated by grief," he wrote on X.

Spain is sweltering through a heatwave, with scorching temperatures triggering the second highest level of weather warnings across parts of Andalusia in recent days.

Firefighters battled a wildfire in eastern Spain on Sunday night as the blaze spread into the Serra d'Espadàn Natural Park.

Ground teams remained on the front line overnight, with aircraft rejoining operations at first light.

Images released on Monday showed firefighters hauling hoses uphill and dousing flames, as thick smoke rose over the fire and flames spread through dry vegetation.

Spain has experienced increasingly frequent and prolonged heatwaves in recent years, with temperatures often exceeding 40C.

The country registered its third-warmest year on record in 2025, with 25 single-day heat records set during the period, national weather agency AEMET said.

Earlier in July, hundreds of firefighters battled a wildfire that raged near the popular Mediterranean tourist destination of Costa Brava and forced thousands to stay indoors.

Strong winds whipped up the fire and prompted regional authorities to urge residents of 10 municipalities to remain at home, including at the popular Platja d'Aro beach resort.

Deadly wildfires devoured almost 400,000 hectares of land last year, the highest figure recorded for the country by the European Forest Fire Information System.