Almería Wildfire Death Toll Rises to 13 as Fire Is Stabilized

The wildfire in the municipality of Los Gallardos, in the province of Almería, has now been fully stabilised. The fire has killed 13 people, said Juanma Moreno, president of the regional government of Andalusia. The flames destroyed around 7,000 hectares within a 40-kilometre perimeter; 1,000 evacuated residents have already returned home, and on Monday, the affected area was visited by Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the leader of the opposition People's Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo.

How the Fire Was Fought

The fire was spotted around 4:35 PM on Thursday, July 9, in the Almocáizar area, from where the flames quickly spread to woodland near residential neighbourhoods. Wind gusting up to 70 kilometres per hour and dry vegetation accelerated its spread. Moreno called it one of the fastest-moving fires in the history of Andalusia, and likely of Spain as a whole.

At its peak, the fire advanced at a rate of around 100 meters a minute, covering 15 kilometres in an hour and a half and spreading into the areas of Bédar, Antas, Lubrín, and even Sorbas. By Monday, the wind had eased to 10–15 kilometres per hour, with humidity holding at around 82%. This made it possible to bring the fire under control.

The death toll rose to 13 on Sunday after the death of a 93-year-old British woman who had been in intensive care at the Torrecárdenas hospital. Four more people remain hospitalised in serious condition. Ten missing-persons reports have been filed.

Investigators are examining several theories about how the fire started. Initially, it was thought the fire began from a downed power line near an abandoned restaurant in the Almocáizar area. However, the energy company Endesa stated that this cable belonged to a private, abandoned electrical installation not connected to its grid, and had not carried a current for several years.

The Civil Guard clarified that it is pursuing all theories simultaneously and will not draw conclusions until the forensic examination is complete. Spain's Defence Minister Margarita Robles, who visited the affected area on Sunday, also called for waiting for the experts' findings. A judicial investigation has been opened into the case.

Residents Return Home

On Thursday, 1,600 people were evacuated from the fire zone — residents of Almocáizar, Fuente del Albaricoque, Los Pinos, La Serena, and the Pinar de Bédar area, as well as guests of a tourist complex and a campsite. They were housed in sports pavilions in Garrucha and Mojácar, at the Los Gallardos Performing Arts Centre, and in Lubrín, where residents brought food and water.

Once the fire was stabilised, all roads were reopened, and the evacuees returned home. According to Moreno, "almost all the houses were left untouched."

According to Antonio Sanz, Andalusia's regional minister of health and emergencies, 14,547 hectares of forest have already burned in Andalusia since the start of the year — 9,500 more than over the same period last year — across 426 fire incidents (97 more than last year). He said the region is going through "a truly difficult summer" and needs to draw lessons for the future.

Response from Authorities

On Monday at 11:00 AM, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the affected area. He travelled to Turre and met with the heads of the emergency response and coordination services, after which he made an official statement.

"We have provided all the resources of the state that were requested of us." He recalled that last year, "a third of the territory burned in Europe was in Spain, which is linked to the worsening climate emergency." Sánchez recalled the government's proposal to reach a major national agreement, a state pact, to address the climate emergency.

Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the opposition People's Party, also travelled to Turre, where he met with Moreno on site.

Spain's national football team coach, Luis de la Fuente, opened his press conference after the team's advance to the World Cup semifinal by offering condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the wildfires in Almería. Condolences were also expressed by foreign leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Actor Antonio Banderas, who was born in Málaga, posted a message in Spanish and English on social media: he expressed his sincere condolences to the families of those who died, as well as to everyone affected by the tragic fire in Almería.

Fires in Other Parts of Spain

While the fire in Almería is being brought under control, new fires are breaking out elsewhere in the country. In Catalonia, a fire in Aguamúrcia (Tarragona) that began on Sunday and has already burned more than 114 hectares prompted the emergency evacuation of around 80 residents from four villages in the municipality of Querol. Police are investigating the possibility of arson.

In Aragon, a fire in the municipality of Peñarroya de Tastavins (Teruel), near the border with Castellón, has forced the evacuation of several farmhouses and a hotel, has burned around 350 hectares, and has already drawn in 300 firefighters. The Valencian Community sent firefighters and aircraft from the province of Castellón to help.