In brief
On Thursday afternoon a wildfire erupted in the Los Gallardos area of Almería, southern Spain, after an electricity pole fell and sparked a blaze. At least 12 people died and 23 remain missing as emergency crews battle the flames. Residents describe the fire as moving “like a bomb has fallen” and “unbelievably quick,” with the smoke and heat forcing families to flee by car and stay in hotels or community shelters. Local officials and volunteers have launched large‑scale evacuation and search efforts, while the town’s mayor laments the displacement of hundreds of residents and the loss of long‑time farms.
At least 12 people have died and 23 others are missing in a wildfire in southern Spain that emergency workers were battling to contain on Friday.
Officials say the flames spread in the Los Gallardos area of Almería on Thursday afternoon after an electricity pole fell in woodland and sparked a blaze.
Eyewitnesses describe witnessing ‘like a bomb has fallen’ on the municipality, while others recount the fire’s ‘unbelievably quick’ spread.
Lucinda Curtois and her partner Riyaz Cheytan were on holiday in Bedar when they heard an evacuation notice at about 19:00 local time. Within fifteen minutes the air went from haze to black smoke to full flames, and they fled with other evacuees to a nearby hotel.
“It was really frightening and unbelievably quick,” Curtois told the BBC, describing the sudden rise of smoke that resembled a mushroom cloud.
The family’s drive forced them to change route as flames closed in, and the smoke overwhelmed the area, forcing the family to leave emergency shelters and stay with relatives.
Nearby residents, like Peter Chapman, noted a sudden darkening sky and the smell of smoke, evoking memories of historic bombings. The couple stayed at their property but woke the next morning to ash and smoke in the air.
Los Gallardos mayor Francisco Miguel Reyes said the fire felt like a bomb falling on the area. He described seeing the after‑effect of the blaze on lines of farmland and noted that many local businesses have offered spare rooms, bars and restaurants to those displaced.
Anderson Mills, a semi‑retired resident, said wildfires are common in the summer but this one changed instantly, engulfing an area of mountain in less than two hours. They split resources across hundreds of firefighters, military and law enforcement, and 30 aircraft to combat the blaze.
