Twelve people died and nine were injured, four seriously, after a fast-moving wildfire swept through the municipality of Bédar in Almería. The fire broke out near the Almocáizar area in neighboring Los Gallardos on July 10, 2026, then quickly advanced toward Bédar’s scattered settlements, catching many residents off guard. Local authorities, led by Mayor Francisco Collado, launched an urgent door-to-door evacuation, using police megaphones and church bells to alert residents as the flames approached.
The fire spread amid high temperatures and strong winds reported at up to 50 kilometers per hour. Dry vegetation and difficult terrain, including ravines and barrancos, complicated access and communication as emergency teams tried to reach dozens of isolated homes. The blaze became known as the Los Gallardos wildfire.
Initial instructions directed residents to evacuate toward Los Gallardos via the provincial road. But when the fire threatened to cut off that route, the mayor redirected people back to the town center, then onto a forest track leading to Lubrín. The decision is believed to have saved many lives. More than 1,000 people were evacuated. Around 200 spent the night in temporary shelters in Antas and Lubrín, while Garrucha also hosted evacuees. More than 100 firefighters and 80 members of the Military Emergency Unit battled the flames, with 30 aerial units also deployed. The fire was declared stabilized on the Sunday after it began, though crews remained to deal with hot spots as residents gradually returned.
Some residents, particularly in the Curato area, were told to stay inside their homes for safety. But, nine people tried to escape via a farm track and became trapped with no way out. Only two survived, both with severe burns; they were transferred to specialized burn units in Almería and Seville. The others, including several foreign nationals from Belgium and the United Kingdom, died. Another group of four British residents tried to flee by car through a dry riverbed, which became a deadly trap as the fire closed in. Later accounts placed eight victims in a valley below the El Curato area. Most of the eventual victims were foreign residents, including people from Belgium and the United Kingdom.
The initial death toll stood at 12, but it rose in later weeks as injured survivors died. Reports subsequently put the toll at 13 and 14; Canal Sur later reported 15 fatalities, including after an injured person died on September 9. The eventual total made the blaze the deadliest wildfire of the century in Andalucía. The fire affected approximately 7,000 hectares.
Material damage was extensive, affecting entire neighborhoods and a campsite in Los Gallardos. The A-7 motorway was temporarily closed to allow emergency services to operate safely. The regional government set up an advanced command post in Turre to coordinate the response as thick smoke and flames continued to threaten nearby communities. The affected settlements included La Serena, about three kilometers from Bédar’s urban center, where residents later began efforts to rebuild.
Wildfires in Spain have become increasingly destructive in recent years, often fueled by drought and high winds, with rural homes spreading into forested areas. The tragedy in Bédar highlights the risks faced by small municipalities with scattered populations and limited evacuation routes. After the disaster, debate over emergency preparedness and wildfire prevention intensified. Garrucha’s proposed disaster-response plan emphasized the importance of coordinated systems for large-scale emergencies, while the Asociación Forestal Andaluza criticized the effectiveness of the Infoca system in stopping fires during their initial stages. In a similar incident, Barcelona authorities recently evacuated four buildings after a massive sinkhole endangered residents, as reported in coverage of the Putxet district emergency. Together, the incidents show the challenges emergency services face when sudden disasters strike Spain’s diverse landscapes.
The wildfire also formed part of an exceptionally severe 2026 fire season in Andalucía. La Voz del Sur reported that 59,685 hectares had burned across the region, while El Correo de Andalucía put the area burned during the region’s maximum-risk period at 58,735 hectares. The Niebla fire in Huelva was identified as the largest recorded in the autonomous community, with 39,821 hectares affected. Local authorities continued to assess the damage and support affected families as recovery efforts began.
