Sunday 12th July 2026
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Sunday 12th July 2026
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गृहपृष्ठInternationalSpain’s deadliest wildfire kills 12, thousands evacuated

Spain’s deadliest wildfire kills 12, thousands evacuated


Spain- Firefighters in Spain’s south-eastern Almería province began efforts on Saturday to directly fight one of the country’s worst-ever wildfires after spending a day trying to contain its rapid advance, emergency officials said.

The wildfire driven by strong winds spread quickly on Friday near the forested district of Bédar, north of Los Gallardos. Till now at least 12 people have died when they attempted to flee. Authorities have completed autopsies on all recovered bodies but the victims have not yet been identified by the families.

The Institute of Forensic Medicine in Almería said the DNA samples have been sent to Madrid for further analysis and comparison with samples provided by the relatives. Officials said it is not possible any time soon to determine the age or sex of the deceased.

Most of the victims are believed to be British and Belgian nationals, with one identified as Spaniard. Eight people were injured in the fire, in which four who remain in critical condition at a hospital in Seville.

Authorities said the wildfire remains complex but firefighters succeeded in preventing it from crossing a highway towards more densely populated coastal towns. Emergency crews are now focusing on the western flank of the fire where flames remain most intense and continue to spread rapidly.

More than 1,400 residents have been evacuated from communities around Bédar and Los Gallardos with additional precautionary evacuations carried out overnight.

More than 500 firefighters, emergency personnel and soldiers are involved in the evacuation. The wildfire has burned about 6,600 hectares of land.

Officials said fire activity eased overnight and no new direct threats to populated areas had emerged.

Authorities also said they do not expect a significant increase in the death toll noting that seven people have been formally reported missing by their families.





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