Deadly wildfire tears through Andalusia, Spain VIDEO

At least 12 people have died, and 19 others remain missing after a fast-moving wildfire swept through Spain’s southern Andalusia region, authorities have said.

The fire ravaged the tourist areas around Los Gallardos and Bedar in Almería province, prompting the evacuation of more than 1,000 residents and visitors, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Authorities believe several of those killed may have been foreign nationals.

Four bodies were discovered inside a right-hand-drive vehicle, raising the possibility that the victims were British, although formal identification is still underway.

Hundreds of firefighters, soldiers and emergency personnel remain deployed as they battle the flames and continue searching for those still unaccounted for.

The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined. Officials said it may have started when a power line fell onto dry vegetation.

The wildfire comes as Spain is experiencing an intense heat wave, with temperatures rising above 40 degrees Celsius (104°F), creating highly favourable conditions for fires to spread rapidly.

Spain experienced its worst wildfire season on record in 2025, when more than 393,000 hectares (971,000 acres) were destroyed by fires.

Experts warn that increasingly frequent heat waves and prolonged drought are raising the risk of similar disasters across southern Europe.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov