Four Britons are feared to be among the victims after extreme heat, strong winds and dry vegetation turned escape routes into deadly traps

At least 12 people have been killed and 23 remain missing after a rapidly advancing wildfire swept through Almería province in southern Spain, becoming one of the country’s deadliest fire disasters in recent decades.

The blaze erupted near Los Gallardos and spread through woodland and agricultural areas with extraordinary speed, consuming approximately 3,200 hectares. Regional officials said the flames travelled as far as 15 kilometres in two hours as strong winds and extremely dry conditions overwhelmed local roads and communities.

At least four British citizens are feared to be among those killed. Their identities had not been formally confirmed, but four bodies were reportedly discovered inside a right-hand-drive vehicle near the village of Bédar. British and Spanish authorities were working together as the identification process continued.

Many of the victims are believed to have died while attempting to escape the advancing flames by car or on foot. Emergency officials said some residents and visitors left protected locations despite instructions to shelter in place, only to encounter roads blocked by smoke, fire and falling debris. One group was reportedly trapped in a dry riverbed as the blaze surrounded the area.

The missing include people who may have been hiking in the mountainous countryside when the fire began. Search teams were examining burned vehicles, rural properties and isolated terrain, amid fears that the death toll could rise further. Several people were also injured, including four reported to be in serious condition.

Around 1,000 residents were evacuated as emergency crews closed roads and established temporary shelters. Hundreds of firefighters, military emergency personnel and police officers were deployed, supported by aircraft and other specialist equipment.

Investigators believe the fire may have been started by a fallen or damaged power cable, although the precise cause remains under investigation. Once ignited, the blaze was intensified by temperatures approaching or exceeding 40°C, strong winds and vegetation left highly combustible by prolonged heat.

The disaster struck as Spain and other parts of western Europe endured another severe heatwave. The hot and dry conditions have increased the risk of fires across the Iberian Peninsula and southern France, placing emergency services on heightened alert.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his sorrow for the victims and their families, while regional authorities described the fire as an unprecedented tragedy for Andalusia. The scale and speed of the blaze have prompted comparisons with the 2017 wildfire in Portugal in which dozens of people were killed, many while attempting to flee by road.

The tragedy has also renewed warnings about the dangers of attempting to outrun wildfires without official guidance. Fire behaviour can change within minutes, turning familiar roads and open spaces into lethal corridors as wind shifts push flames across evacuation routes.

Authorities have urged residents to follow emergency alerts, remain inside when ordered and avoid travelling through affected areas. Meanwhile, the search for the missing continues across a landscape of burned hillsides, abandoned vehicles and damaged rural communities.