Spain Wildfire Death Toll Climbs to 12

A fast-moving wildfire that swept through the hamlet of Bedar in Spain's southern Almeria province has claimed 12 lives, authorities said on Friday, as an intense heatwave continues to grip large parts of the country.

The regional government of Andalusia revised the death toll from an earlier figure of six after confirming six additional fatalities. Several victims were found inside vehicles, according to an official statement.

Nearly 150 firefighters, supported by five fire engines, were deployed to contain the blaze, which erupted as temperatures approached 40 degrees Celsius.

At least six people were injured, including a woman who suffered burns and another person treated for smoke inhalation. Both were taken to hospital.

Regional emergency chief Antonio Sanz described the incident as "an unprecedented tragedy", saying the region was overwhelmed by the scale of the loss.

Witnesses told authorities the fire may have been triggered after a power line collapsed onto dry vegetation, sparking flames that quickly spread through nearby woodland. Officials, however, have not yet confirmed the cause.

Roads in the area were closed and residents were evacuated as the wildfire spread rapidly. Around 50 displaced people were accommodated at a local cultural centre. Spain's Military Emergency Unit (UME) was expected to join firefighting operations.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he was "deeply saddened and devastated" by the disaster, while Andalusian regional president Juanma Moreno called it "a tragedy", expressing condolences to the victims' families.

The deadly blaze comes amid a severe heatwave that has pushed temperatures above 40C in parts of southern Spain, prompting orange-level weather alerts across sections of Andalusia.

Spain has faced increasingly frequent and prolonged heatwaves in recent years, creating ideal conditions for destructive wildfires. According to the national weather agency AEMET, 2025 was the country's third-warmest year on record, with 25 daily temperature records broken.

Earlier this month, another major wildfire near the Mediterranean tourist destination of Costa Brava forced thousands of residents to remain indoors as strong winds intensified the flames. Authorities advised people in 10 municipalities, including the popular beach resort of Platja d'Aro, to stay inside.

Last year, wildfires burned nearly 400,000 hectares across Spain, the highest annual total recorded by the European Forest Fire Information System.