12 people died in a forest fire in Spain amid heatwave
Kyiv • UNN
At least 12 people died as a result of a forest fire in Los Gallardos, Spain. According to witnesses, the cause was a broken power line.
At least 12 people have died as a result of a forest fire in Los Gallardos in the southeastern province of Almería in Spain, with six others injured, according to the regional government of Andalusia, UNN reports citing the BBC.
Details
Some of the victims were found inside cars engulfed in flames. Witnesses say the fire was caused by a downed power line, and the flames quickly spread to a nearby forest area. Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire.
A prolonged heatwave with temperatures around 40°C has sparked wildfires across southern Europe.
Hundreds of firefighters are battling major fires in France, Portugal, and Spain, with thousands of people forced to leave their homes.
The death toll from the fire in Los Gallardos has risen to 12 after six more deaths were confirmed
The head of the regional government, Juanma Moreno, called the loss of life a tragedy.
About 150 firefighters worked to extinguish the fire in the village of Bedar. Among the injured was a person taken to hospital with smoke poisoning, and another who suffered burns. Four people received medical assistance at the scene for minor burns and breathing problems caused by heavy smoke.
The fire also led to road closures, and 1,000 residents were evacuated, emergency services reported.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said in May that this year Spain would deploy the largest wildfire-fighting operation in Spain's history for the summer, local media and AFP report.
The Spanish Military Emergency Unit (UME), which is deployed in major emergencies, said it would join the firefighting efforts in Los Gallardos.
In June, Spain recorded its highest average daily temperature since 1950, as well as several days with the highest temperatures for that month. Temperatures of up to 42°C were forecast in some parts of the country.
Last year, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), a record 393,000 hectares burned in Spain, more than six times the Spanish average for the period from 2006 to 2024.
Climate change is driving rising temperatures worldwide, and Europe is the fastest-warming continent, heating up twice as fast as the global average, according to the Copernicus Climate Service.
This leads to more frequent summer heatwaves, increased pressure on European water resources, and more intense wildfires.
Last year was the worst wildfire season in the European Union since records began in 2006, with over one million hectares burned across the EU.
In a separate study by the World Weather Attribution group at Imperial College London, the worsening fire season in the Mediterranean is directly linked to climate change.
Experts warn that Europe is likely to continue experiencing more frequent and larger fires in the future.