In brief
A devastating wildfire in Los Gallardos, Almería, Spain has taken twelve lives and injured six others, prompted by a downed power line. The blaze swept through wooded areas during an intense heatwave that lifted temperatures to 40°C across southern Europe. Rescue teams, including Spain's military emergency unit, are tackling the fire alongside hundreds of firefighters from neighbouring countries. The disaster underscores a record‑setting wildfire season in Spain and a broader European trend of increasingly severe forest fires linked to climate change.
At least 12 people were killed in a wildfire that erupted in Los Gallardos, a hamlet in Almería province, and six others were reported injured.
Investigators point to a fallen power line as the spark that ignited the blaze, which spread quickly into nearby woodland.
The fire unfolded in a heatwave that has seen temperatures in southern Europe spike to around 40°C, setting the stage for widespread forest fires.
Hundreds of firefighters from Spain, France and Portugal are fighting simultaneous blazes, and the Spanish military has mobilised its emergency unit to support the effort in Los Gallardos.
Last summer saw Spain burn the largest acreage in its history, and European wildfires reached record levels in 2025, exceeding the average of the past two decades.
Climate scientists link the escalating severity of heatwaves and wildfires to global warming, noting Europe is warming twice as fast as the world average.
